prayers for anxiety in pregnancy
One of the best things about blogging is seeing what brings perfect strangers to your writing. Everyday I can see the list of searches that bring people here. What brings more visitors here than anything else?
Over time many of these searches were phrased in ways that broke my heart, that found me wondering about the back stories, even sending a quick prayer out to whomever searched and arrived here. Things like: prayer for anxious pregnant woman, prayers for pregnancy help, prayers for unexpected pregnancy.
The growing number of searches I see for “prayers for anxiety in pregnancy” reaffirmed for me how worried, even desperate, women (and men) can be in the face of pregnancy. It’s not always the blissful nine months of joy and expectation that the baby industry paints in pretty pastels.
There are lots of reasons to be anxious and troubled during pregnancy.
Medical reasons: previous miscarriages, a history of infertility, underlying health concerns, unexpected prenatal diagnoses, prepartum depression.
Financial reasons: an unplanned pregnancy, the loss of a job, the added strain of one more mouth to feed.
Emotional reasons: uncertainty about parenthood, fears for its effect on a marriage or other relationship, stress about the responsibilities it brings.
To say nothing of the run-of-the-mill pregnancy worries:
Is my baby healthy?
Am I healthy?
Will my baby come too early?
Can I handle the pain of childbirth?
So when I was reading through the Book of Psalms and I came across this familiar one, I read it with new eyes and realized that Psalm 139 is a perfect prayer for anxiety in pregnancy.
We’ve all heard those reassuring words, the comforting images of God’s hand holding us wherever we go and the beautiful idea that God has known us intimately from our first days in our mother’s womb.
But I had never before reflected on the fact that the psalmist unites the two – comfort in anxiety and the experience of pregnancy – in a way that speaks directly to those who are facing anguish during this time of waiting and worry.
So today I offer this prayer for all of you who stumble onto this page searching for some word of peace in an anxious time.
May the God who knows us from the darkness of the womb bring us comfort in the light of day.
O Lord, you have searched me and known me.You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
O Lord, you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me fast.
If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,’
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
For it was you who formed my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written
all the days that were formed for me,
when none of them as yet existed.
How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
I try to count them – they are more than the sand;
I come to the end – I am still with you.
(Psalm 139: 1-18)
All will be well and all will be well; all manner of things will be well.
– Julian of Norwich
I’m 6 weeks pregnant and psalm 139 keeps coming up for me. I have an anxiety disorder and suffer from depression so this is so hard. I’m so scared I will lose my baby. My husband is so supportive. This is our first child at 24 years old. This is all just so scary and I’m praying God will allow us to hold our baby in our arms and raise them for His glory. Please pray for me in this difficult time. My anxiety is ruling me
Hey ladies im 23 weeks im 19 years old and im overweight and due to me being over weight the sono tech cant see my babies feet…im really worried i just want to ask if you ladies can please pray for my daughter i just want her to be healthy…I have been going through alot of stress and depression and this news just added way more stress to me…please pray for her thank you so much Godbless you.
Praying for you and your daughter, Cecilia! I hope that God will lift you from your fears and stress into a place of hope and comfort.
What a wonderful page u created.I’m 36 weeks pregnant,going through a lot right now,just hoping and praying for the best,praying for my childs development,body n soul.your page has really inspired me to keep praying for the best life to the almighty.Thanks
Thank you so much for your kind words! I will keep you and your baby in my prayers as you wait to meet face to face very soon!
I ask for prayer though out my pregnancy I’ve been very nervous I lost my last baby around 13 weeks in 2013 and me and my husband decided to try again we found out we were pregnate on June 20,2015 and I’m now 11 weeks I’m so happy I feel a lot different this pregnancy I just been praying that everything goes good for our little family I ask for prayer throughout my pregnancy thank you Jesus for giving us another chance to become parents.
Praying for you, Desiree! I share in your joy and hope you will continued to be blessed with peace of mind throughout your pregnancy. Thank you for sharing your story here.
I am 11 weeks pregnant and stricken with anxiety. I know I have to surrender to God and trust in Him, however i am finding it very difficult to do so. Yesterday i found out that i have a gene mutation which makes me more prone to blood clots and could cause complications with our baby. I am glad I found this site, as i am now trying my best to turn to God and let Him take control. Please keep my husband, baby, and me in prayer. Thank you and God bless!
I have had 4 previous miscarriages. I have just found out I am pregnant after trying for over 1 year. My husband & I are over the moon about it, but every now again worry creeps in. We do feel more at peace with this pregnancy and reading your blog & being reminded of Psalm 139 has been a great source of encouragement. Since the last miscarriage God laid the verse from John 14:27 on my heart regarding, peace and not being afraid. We know that God has this all in His hands and is in control. I will be using Psalm 139 and other scriptures/verses often when the niggles of doubt creep in. Please keep us in your prayers. Thank you again for your insightful blog.
Praying for you and your husband and your baby! I hope you will know God’s peace and love during times of worry. Psalm 139 is such a source of comfort for me as well.
What a wonderful anointed page you have created! I was one of those searching for prayers during pregnancy. I am 12 weeks pregnant and have been gripped by anxiety since finding out. Worries about whether it would stick, my levels, the multitude of testing ect. I got down on myself because I know The Lord, his word and his promises. I just have not been able to apply them in this situation. As many have said, it’s so good to know that I’m not the only one and today after returning from yet another round of test I have decided that I will give it all to God. Through out all my searches, this page sits the best with my spirit. I can feel Gods presence here and I know that you truly have a heart for the people who come here looking for something. I pray that God continues to bless you for your obedience! I have this bookmarked and I can’t wait to continue visiting. May God bring the peace that surpasses all understanding and the good health and healing to each and everyone here. I hope you get a million testimonies and praise reports!!! Please keep me in prayer. #pregnancyblessings
Oh, Imani, your words have lifted me up today more than you know. It is a privilege and a gift to pray for all of you who are waiting and hoping. You will continue to be in my prayers and I hope that you will continue to feel God’s love carrying you through. Peace to you today.
Just came across your post and it helped bring a little sigh of relief to my worried mind. Then, like it was a sign the baby moved 🙂 thank you for your inspiring words and leading me to this Psalm.
Just wandered here following links from your most recent post… this psalm was the one I turned to in the dark moments of infertility. Its where the name of my (private) blog comes from. I’m almost 19 weeks along now, and this pregnancy has been filled with anxiety, especially right before every ultrasound and I have one coming up this Saturday… I think I will be praying this psalm again this week.
Just an update, it has been a year since my last post and, thank you Jesus, we have a perfectly healthy baby girl!! Looking back on it, I wish I would have relaxed and “enjoyed the ride” a little more than I did. Being pregnant is experiencing a miracle! Give your worries to God and rest in His caring arms. God bless all of you reading this and those experiencing any anxiety. Give it all to the Lord. 🙂
Congratulations on your perfect gift, Jennifer! Thank you for sharing your joy, and for telling the rest of your story. Blessings on your journey as a mom.
Thanks for this post. I am due any time now and am so anxious and worried. God bless.
Praying for you, Adanna. It is such a time of wonder and worry, this side of birth. But I hope you will find comfort from your anxiety as you look ahead to welcoming your little one soon.
He came one day earlier…perfectly healthy, I thank God.