Life has a habit of throwing us curveballs that affect our daily lives and future plans. We’ve all been surprised by a sudden medical emergency or an issue at work. These situations can lead to stress and/or anxiety that can affect our jobs, lead to health problems, or interrupt our social lives. Then there are people who deal with stress and anxiety as a part of everyday life. While certain triggers can exacerbate the situation, each day is its own struggle. We each have ways to combat these problems, but there are actually some good Christian books for dealing with anxiety and stress. Here are just a few books that might help you get over this hurdle.
For many of us, stress and anxiety come from the busyness of life. Between taking care of your kids, earning a paycheck, and endlessly crossing chores off of a checklist, days can be pretty overwhelming. The author of this book, Crystal Paine, first started writing advice for busy parents with the Money Saving Mom blog. “Say Goodbye to Survival Mode” carries a lot of the same wisdom that Paine’s blog might advise, but the book goes deeper into practical ways in which you can take control of your life and stop succumbing to the pressures of life. Sometimes we can alleviate stress by simply taking a moment to breathe and plan for our daily routine.
Sometimes anxiety runs deeper than simply having too many responsibilities. Did you know that 18% of adults in America suffer from an anxiety disorder? For these people, anxiety is managed daily. Fortunately there are health experts out there who have methods of controlling these issues. “The Anxiety Cure” is written by Dr. Archibald Hart. If you suffer from anxiety or would like to understand the subject more, Dr. Hart does well to explain everything in understandable terms. It always helps to know what you’re facing, which is why this is one of the good Christian books for dealing with anxiety and stress.
Have you ever thought about how you can be your own worst enemy? We often attribute bad thoughts to Satan or lies from the culture, but what about the false ideas we plant in our own heads about who we are or what God can do? When we feed ourselves lies that downplay God’s love and our individual worth, it’s easy to get lost in our own misery. Authors William Backus and Marie Chapian instruct us to fight those lies by replacing them with truth. Each of us is loved by God and called to a special purpose. We can’t afford to waste time lying to ourselves and creating an even more unhealthy situation when the truth can help us climb out of that pit.
Fear can have a powerful impact on our lives. It can hinder us from serving, strain relationships with friends and family, and hold us back from reaching our full potential. When we let fear win, we are giving it the respect and power that we should be giving to God by trusting Him. Edward T. Welch’s book is an examination of fear and the ways we in which we can cut it off at the source. With a background in both theology and psychology, Welch delivers practical steps for dealing with worry that are rooted in scripture. Stop surrendering ground to fear and let God take the reins.
Max Lucado is a prolific author who is known for writing books that comfort and bring inspiration. His latest, “Anxious for Nothing,” is another that will deliver healing to those who are hurting or feel crushed beneath the weight of doubt and anxiety. Like many Lucado books, “Anxious for Nothing” is a short read that you can finish easily even with a limiting schedule. Take some time to receive encouragement and look to the Lord for strength.
Sometimes the good Christian books for dealing with anxiety and stress are aptly named. There’s no shame in feeling anxiety. All human beings have limits and our emotions can be fragile. As Todd Friel points out in his book, there are different levels and causes of anxiety, each with a unique response that is required. Anxiety may be short-lived or limited to certain events/causes. For others, it feels like a life sentence. Looking through the Bible and at each form of anxiety or stress, Friel shares a plan for dealing with these emotions.
Do you ever feel like you have to be perfect? The perfect spouse, the perfect student, the perfect church member, the perfect parent? We have a tendency to wear ourselves down to the bone all in an attempt to be the best at everything. Instead of piling additional stress onto our shoulders, we need to understand that it’s more important to live a healthy, balanced life. Shauna Niequist shows us how that is possible in this book by accepting the present over the perfect, unattainable ideal. There’s no point in trying to be perfect when we already know that the Bible says we all fall short. Give yourself some grace, take a moment to breathe, and begin the fight against stress.
When we look at good Christian books for dealing with anxiety and stress, we see that there is often a correlation between fear and anxiety. After all, most of our stress and anxiety comes from the unknown. When we don’t know what the future holds, we sometimes fall victim to believing that the worst possible outcome is the most probable one. Dr. David Jeremiah looks at ten common fears that we often face throughout our lives. Each of us has a certain trigger for anxiety that is linked to one or more of these fears. Read and discover the spiritual truths that will ease your worries.
A few years before his most recent struggles, pastor Perry Noble wrote this book on escaping the feeling of being overwhelmed. One key feature of anxiety is that it takes our focus off of Christ and places it onto our problems. When we lose sight of Him, our problems look even bigger. Through this book you will learn to set your sights back on the God of the universe, who is bigger than any struggle you are facing. There is another book by the same name written by Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory. While it is, of course, a little different, it might be another book to check out.
Some of the good Christian books for dealing with anxiety and stress focus on the medical aspect of anxiety while others are meant as motivation to face your problems head on. “God is Able” is more of the latter. Priscilla Shirer has inspired women across the country through her books, Bible studies, and live events. In this book she is reminding readers that no bad situation has ever been greater than the God who loves us. We face real problems, real hurt, but God is ever-present help looking to guide us through the storm.
The title alone is a breath of fresh air for those of us who are fighting anxiety and stress at the daily level. When we’re in the middle of an episode or struggling with our feelings it’s important to repeat this mantra. Author Holley Gerth is a counselor and life coach who has written several books helping readers come to terms with difficult circumstances. In this book she’ll help you climb out of a pit of discouragement and stress so that you will once again stand on level ground. Once you overcome the troubles that are holding you back, it’ll be time to pursue a more joyful life.
Since the previous two books are aiming more for the female demographic, we wanted to recommend some good Christian books for dealing with anxiety and stress that have the guys in mind. This one is written by David Murray and it is all about burnouts. We’ve all seen (or been) the guy at work or church who is just going through the motions and can’t enjoy a second of peace. Men constantly overwork themselves trying to fix problems, answer emails, and do anything else in order to make their work perfect. While not a book exclusively on anxiety, those who suffer from the condition will likely find some common ground with the issues this book describes. Another book to look into is “The Wounded Warrior” by Dr. Steve Stephens. Here you’ll learn how to deal with the bruises of life, be restored, and continue the fight.
These are just a few recommendations for good Christian books for dealing with anxiety and stress. Some provide practical ways to move forward, others explain what anxiety and stress really are, while a few will simply provide the motivation needed to face these problems and trust the Lord in dealing with them. Christian books can be a wonderful resource for gaining knowledge and strengthening your faith. If your anxiety and stress are starting to get out of control, however, it’s never a bad idea to check with your doctor to see if you’re doing everything you can to control the issue.
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