This Social Anxiety Prayer will connect you with God’s help and guidance on becoming more comfortable and confident in social settings.

Everyone feels nervous or out of place in different social settings such as public speaking.  Others of us suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder which makes us uncomfortable in most social settings and disrupts our lives.  Here’s a prayer for God’s help:

Social Anxiety Prayer 

Dear God,  I am having problems being confident and comfortable around other people.  My fear and anxiety are holding me back from enjoying events and the company of others. I find myself avoiding social settings where I might start feeling nervous and overwhelmed.  I need your help.

Pinpointing Social Anxiety Situations

Here are the situations where I feel most uncomfortable:  (describe to God any that might apply to you.)

Being with and interacting with people I don’t know…

Going to work or school ­­­…

Social Gatherings …

Public speaking or performing in front of others…

Starting a conversation …

Eating around people, using a public restroom …

Other…

Describing Social Anxiety Physical Symptoms

Here are some of the physical symptoms that I feel:  (describe to God any that might apply to you)

Upset or tight stomach …

Rapid heartbeat…

Sweating…

Shaking or trembling…

Blushing…

Dizziness…

Thoughts paralyzed and blank mind…

Muscle discomfort and tenseness…

Other…

Uncovering Underlying Fears of Social Anxiety

Here are some of the kinds of underlying fears I have when I feel anxious around people:  (describe to God any that might apply to you.)

Worried that people are judging me negatively…

Afraid of embarrassing myself…

Feeling self-conscious about my physical symptoms of stress and thinking other people are noticing them…

Feeling out of place or inferior to everyone else…

Worried that I will get out control and have to leave quickly…

Other…

God, I place these details of my situation before you, asking for your wisdom, guidance and help.  I want to be free to enjoy the company of others and to overcome the fears that are causing me to avoid normal life activities.

I pray for your supernatural healing power as I claim the Bible verse that says, “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds.” (Jeremiah 30:17.   Please heal any wounds known or unknown that I have suffered in my past in social settings.  Here are some wounds I place in your loving care …

I claim the promise Jesus made in the Bible, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  (John 10:10)   I want to have a full life, feeling confident and free.  I want to feel like a part of a caring community where people know me and accept me.

Finding God’s Guidance for Social Anxiety

With the strength you are now giving me, I pray that you will guide me to practical ways to prevent my fear from keeping me isolated and fearful.

I now meditate on some of the possibilities, asking you to highlight the ones in my heart that you are leading me to do:

Talk to someone about my fears…

Learn more about Social Anxiety…

Do things that increase my feelings of self-worth and confidence….

Talk with a pastor…

Seek professional help…

Find a caring partner who will go with me and be with me in social settings…

Ask for prayer or find a prayer partner…

Take a small step approach.  Please show me the first step now…

Stop critiquing myself about what I did wrong in social setting…

Go to a support group…

Stop beating myself up because of my feelings…

Take my focus off my discomfort by silently praying for those around me…

Using God’s Affirmations When Having Social Anxiety

Immerse myself in Bible promises and affirmations…

Use the following affirmations:

Deuteronomy 31:6   “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you.  (NIV)

I Peter 5:7  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  (NIV)

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  (NIV)

As I end my prayer, I stand claim this final Bible verse and write it on my heart.  Isaiah 41:10  So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (NIV)

Thank you that I don’t have to make my fear go away.  Instead, remind me that I need to remember that you are there with me, no matter what.

Amen.

About this Social Anxiety Prayer

I am deeply appreciative of a woman I know who experiences social anxiety who spoke with me about her experiences and things that she does to enable her to venture out into stressful social settings.

Childhood Roots of Social Anxiety

My friend can trace some of her social anxiety back to her teen years.  Her mother, hoping to give her better educational opportunities, enrolled her in a suburban school in a well-to-do area.  My friend didn’t have “the right clothes” that all of the other kids were wearing, and she wasn’t part of their social culture.  She felt like an outsider.

Worse still, my friend became highly embarrassed about a physical condition called alopecia, which is the medical term for hair loss.  Not only did it affect her self-image, but she also went through painful injections that failed to reverse the condition.  And her looks caused her to be teased and singled out by her classmates.

Feeling Out of Place

In her adult years, things improved.  She finished college and landed jobs that involved interacting with the public and those in the workplace.  Unfortunately, she eventually had to leave a job she loved because of her social anxiety.  She said, “I feel like everyone is looking at me, judging me, thinking I’m this or that.”  She and her family moved into a condo in an affluent area and old feelings of being different resurfaced.  She told me, “I live in a community where everyone else is wealthier than we are, which makes me think I really don’t belong.  When I’m in a group like that, it gets overwhelming.  I feel paralyzed.”

She describes how she felt in an adult Sunday school class when she became overwhelmed with anxiety.  “My stomach hardened and my palms started sweating.  My muscles tensed up and I had to move around to stay comfortable.  But I also tried not do too much moving around, because I felt like all eyes in the room were on me.  The light coming through the window felt  way too bright and I had to close my eyes to keep it from getting to me.”

Telling Truths to Herself

I asked my friend what she does to help her through her anxiety attacks.  She told me that she had a series of truths that she tells herself and sentence prayers she uses.  Here are some examples:

Rember that I’m OK, there’s nothing bad happening right now.

God, please help me get through this piece of time that’s stressing me out.

The Lord will fight for you.  (Bible promise from Exodus 14:14)

God will strengthen me and help me.  (Bible promise from Isaiah 41:10)

Using Professional and Group Help

My friend also reached out for help.  She visited one of the pastors at her church to tell her how she didn’t feel a part of the church.   The pastor shared Bible verses, prayed with her and assured her that she belonged.

She found a mental healthcare professional who helped her talk through her situation and gain insights.  And the healthcare provider also gave her medication that helped her.

My friend started writing down helpful quotes, Bible verses and self-talk truths to use when she felt anxious.  She posted these all over her house and wrote them on cards that she tucked into her purse.

She also enrolled in a Christian 12 step program called Celebrate Recovery.  This program helps you walk through recovery from whatever you are struggling with using the help of God and the support of your group.  One valuable resource my friend said they provided was a Bible with a Concordance (listing of Bible verses on different subjects).

My friend was extremely blessed to have a very supportive husband.  She said, “He is my rock, my best friend and my confidant.”  She told me that when they are due to go out, he helps her get up and keeps her on schedule.  And when she’s anxious, he tells her, “It’s going to be OK.”  Although it’s difficult for her to go, she says, “I put on a smile and try to get something out of it.”  She tells herself to do these things because he wants her to be there.

She also learned how to do little things to feel more secure in meetings and classes.  As an example, she sits in front of a room by the door.  It helps her feel that if it she has to leave she can do it without too much disruption.  She also realized that lighting also made a difference in her anxiety.  When she worked in an area where others came into her room, she brought in enough lamps to light the area well without having to used the overhead lights.

When she begins to feel uncomfortable, she engages in self-talk.  She tells herself, “Remember that I’m OK.  There’s nothing bad happening now.”  Or she prays, “God, please help me get through this piece of time that’s stressing me out right now.”

Using Affirmations and Short Prayers to alleviate Social Anxiety 

As mentioned in the experiences of my friend, she writes down truths that help her remain calm during stressful situations.  I asked her to share her affirmations with our readers.

These short sentences can be used as breath prayers, which are prayers that only take a single breath to pray.  Or they can be arrow prayers, which are brief prayers that we shoot up to God while we are doing something where we need on-the-spot help.  Here are her quotes:

The thoughts I have now create my future.

My past mistakes do not define my future.

I am enough.

I am happy, healthy and grateful.

Never let the things you want make you forget the things you have.

It’s never too late for a new beginning in your life.

Learn to be alone and to like it.

You don’t have to solve all of your problems overnight.

I am working on me for me.

I focus on what I control.

I am letting go of doubt and fear.

“I plead with you. Never ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire and never become discouraged. Be not afraid” Saint John Paul 2nd

About Social Anxiety

 What the Experts Say about Social Anxiety

Experts tell us that Social Anxiety can either be generalized and experienced in all social settings or only felt under very specific circumstances such as doing public speaking or performing in front of others.  Social Anxiety Disorder can improve through learning and using coping skills, psychotherapy and medication.   Social Anxiety can be better at times, then become worse if we are under stress or are undergoing lots of life changes.

As with any disorder, experts recommend maintaining good health habits such as eating well, exercising and getting enough rest.

Even though avoiding people will temporarily give you relief, avoiding social situations in the long run will make things worse without seeking help.

Seek help from your doctor or a mental health specialist if your life is being adversely affected by your fear and your avoidance of social settings.

The Bible Says That We Are Created to Be in Community    

The Bible tells us that humans were created to be in community with each other.  Part of our strength is our interdependence on each other, our ability to learn from each other, nurture each other, encourage each other and love each other.

When God created Adam he declared, “It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.”  (Genesis 2:18 NIV)  Claim this verse, focusing on the word “helper.”  The people around us, when living up to their God-given potential, are helpers to us.

Psalm 68:6 says, “He sets the lonely in families.”  Loneliness is painful.  God did not design us to experience loneliness.  He creates groups for us in which we can thrive.  In fact, even God himself desires fellowship and connection to us.  God says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”  (Jeremiah 31:3 NIV)

Jesus himself needed and desired community.  He spent his ministry not only with crowds of strangers but also with 12 special people he chose as his inner circle of disciples.  When he was agonizing in the Garden of Gethsemane over his coming death on the cross, he begged for his disciples to be with him.  (see Mark 14:32-42)

Saint Paul took the importance of community one step further by comparing each individual in the Christian church as living parts of one body like the human body.  Each member was interconnected with the other, and none could function properly without the others.  (See 1 Corinthians 12:12-26)

When anything prevents us from being in community with others, everyone suffers.  One of the devil’s primary tactics is to do whatever it takes to keep us apart, isolated, fearful and powerless.    Two of his biggest tools are fear and lies.  He insinuates that we’re not good enough, that people are judging us, that we’re different and don’t fit in and that we’re flawed beyond fixing.  And these thoughts create fear.

Other Helpful Articles

Anxiety Calming Prayer

Test Anxiety Prayer Using Scriptures

Fear of Public Speaking Prayer

Child’s Anxiety Prayer for Parents And How To Use Faith To Help An Anxious Child

Using Powerful, Quick Arrow Prayers

How to Pray Using Breath Prayers or Sentence Prayers

Copyright Karen Barber 2022.  All rights reserved.