Short Summary: A thoughtful, well-written, no “fluff” book that addresses the issue of worry in the Christian and secular world. Contains Biblical references, practical applications and personal accounts.
I was…anxious to read this book. Sounds a little ridiculous, perhaps obvious. But if you pick up a book called “Anxious” chances are you are a person who struggles with anxiety and worry in your life. And let’s be honest, when we’re faced with our struggles, symptoms of those struggles seem magnified, and a lot of times, we don’t want to admit we have them. I chose to pick this book up because I know it’s something I struggle with. I knew I would be facing a challenge head on and learning about what God has to say about worry, anxiety and fear.
So when I grabbed Anxious and opened to page one, I had a lot of thoughts flowing through my head. Would this be a legitimate book about anxiety disorders? Would these finally be the words I had been waiting to read? Would this help my own anxiety? Was it going to be a book about how Christians who struggle need to “have more faith” and suck it up?
I was worried.
What I found when I started reading was a book about the topic of worry backed by biblical truth. It doesn’t so much address anxiety disorders (though the author did include a section in the appendix), but addresses the “practice of worry that is all around us.”
Our world tells us we have to be in control, that a little worry is a healthy thing. We’re told that our possessions, our money, our status is important and worth worrying over. We own our lives – Not God.
Simpson urges readers to embrace an “alternative lifestyle” — One that rejects the habit of worry and replaces it with a habit of looking to God in trust. Sounds easier said than done, right?
I thought so too until I continued to read and was challenged by the words Simpson writes about what the Bible has to say about worry. The Bible says that the one thing worth being concerned about is our devotion to Jesus. And if we truly live our lives devoted to Jesus, there isn’t any room for worry. It’s actually unnecessary, hypocritical and offense to the Lord. This isn’t to say that God is angered by our worry, but he is saddened by it.
“God does not condemn us for the many ways we worry any more than he condemns us for other self-destructive choices we make, which are covered by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. But he has created a world in which we suffer the consequences of those choices, and God does grieve over our unnecessary pain. And he does covet the attention we give to worry at the expense of his mission for us.”
We can’t confuse worry with apathy, Simpson writes. Living without worry actually allows us more time to care about and for the issues and people who are important to us. How many times have your prayers been laced with worry after worry, rather than sincere thought and care for things that truly matter?
Simpson carefully crafts her words to help Christians understand what worry looks like, how it effects us, what God has to say about it and what we can do to combat it. This book doesn’t condemn, but it does challenge. This book isn’t a 5 step program, but it opens the door for life transformation. This book probably should have been titled “worry,” but I’m still glad I read it.
Whether you think you struggle with worry or not, you should pick this book up. You will find comfort in the practical application, challenge in the Biblical truth and encouragement that at the end of the day, there is a God who owns everything and everyone we care about.
If you’ve ever asked a “what if..” question or you’ve laid awake at night worrying about a child, your spouse, your parents, your job, your friends, or anything else on your list, then you need to check out Anxious – A practical, challenging book about letting go of worry and embracing God’s provision and power.
“Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.”- Victor Hugo
Find Anxious on Amazon: http://amzn.to/18EVaAW
