David A. Powlison. Overcoming Anxiety: Relief for Worried People. Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, December 17th 2012. 16 pp.
5 out of 5
Purchase: Westminster | Amazon
This was a helpful and edifying booklet. I do enjoy these biblical counseling “minibooks” since they pack so much good contents in so little space. It is biblical, practical and Gospel driven. While individual titles may vary in terms of how good it is, this particular title on anxiety authored by David Powlison has not only proven to be personally helpful but also serve as a helpful resources for biblical counselors, pastors, disciplers and peer to peer Christian accountability and fellowship going over the issue of anxiety and worrying. Relatively inexpensive, you get your bang for your buck.
This booklet has six section. The first one is titled “The Capacity for Anxiety is God given,” followed by sections titled “You have Good Reasons to be Anxious,” “Your Anxieties Reveal Your Heart,” “Responding to Trouble by Faith,” “Contentment= The Godly Opposite of Sinful Anxiety” and finally “Practical Strategies for Change.”
Early in the book Powlison encourages the reader with the truth that God knows ours anxious thoughts and the Bible has resources to help with our struggles (Kindle Location 20). I thought this book was nuanced and didn’t gave a knee-jerk reaction to anxiety especially with the good point being made that the capacity for anxiety is God-given. In asking the question, “Would you want to live your entire life with no anxiety?” Powlison points out that inert indifferences is not what Christians should pursue either. Probing deeper the author observed that anxiety serves the function to alert us to what’s in our hearts and anxiety is meant bring our troubles and ourselves towards God.
There were so many good contents within this book that is very helpful. Readers who highlight in their readings will find themselves highlighting a lot of great insights and truths found in this work. The analysis of anxiety itself is something one should remember especially the booklet’s observation of how anxiety misfires in two ways: overreaction and how we are troubled by what should not trouble us. The booklet’s practical strategies is very helpful.
I recommend this book!
Thanks for the review. Interesting and relevant topic in this increasingly hectic world.
You’re welcome and I agree that it is a relevant booklet in light of this increasingly hectic world. I was actually going over this together with a brother in our church and we both enjoyed it enough that we started to recommend it to others since it is relevant and spiritually helpful. I pray God would use this booklet to minister to many
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Thanks for this reblog!
Yankee Whiskey Bravo
I was just looking for a book like this for a family member who hates reading. The shorter the better for this brother in Christ! Thank you SO much for this review. God bless you, brother!
You’re welcome! I love to read a lot of books but I also realize I need to review and recommend and use booklets thats for the greater body of Christ that might not be as use to reading a lot of pages. So this particular title is very helpful sister and I plan to review more booklets like this! I also just prayed for that family member that the Lord would use and the booklet if you don’t mind =)
I sure appreciate that, brother! God bless you!
[…] booklets that is helpful for problems and issues. For anxiety and worrying I recommend both Overcoming Anxiety: Relief for Worried People and Why Worry?: Getting to the Heart of Your Anxiety. Since worrying and stress is a […]