The Answer to Anxiety by Joyce Meyer Book Review

We know we will have problems because we live in a sinful world. Meyer says if we learn to deal with the daily troubles quickly, we will not develop anxiety disorders. She learned the importance of this when, near the end of 2017, she became very ill because of stress. That experience was a turning point in her life, she says.

Meyer bases her book on Philippians 4:6-7. She gives four commands from that passage:

• We are not to be anxious
• We are to pray
• We are to be thankful
• We are to enjoy peace.

She gives good strategy for each of those points with practical suggestions for dealing with worry and anxiety. Her suggestions are based on the Word. And in case we think she has conquered all this, she gives examples from her own life of how she has had to work through these commands too.

Here are some of the insights I really appreciate. One is that anxiety is rooted in fear. That's one reason why trusting God and believing He loves us is so important. Another insight is our frustration with not knowing as much as God. And we try to solve problems we were never meant to solve. We are rather to give them over to God and then trust Him to work in His time. And then she reminds us that we often complain about a situation or a person without having prayed about it first. Ouch. And, Paul did not pray that peoples' problems would go away. Rather, he prayed they would bear it with a good attitude. And, Meyer says gratitude is a form of spiritual warfare. How about wanting peace so deeply that you ask God to change you rather than your circumstances?

That is just some of the good teaching in this book. Meyer gives good strategy with practical ideas to deal with worry and anxiety. The book is very readable and I recommend it for anyone who wants to successfully conquer worry and anxiety.

Food for thought: “We should always be growing spiritually, being gradually transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.” (1277/1624)

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. Her daily broadcast, Enjoying Everyday Life, airs on hundreds of television networks and radio stations worldwide. Joyce has written more than 135 inspirational books. Her bestsellers include Power Thoughts; The Confident Woman; Look Great, Feel Great; Starting Your Day Right; Ending Your Day Right; Approval Addiction; How to Hear from God; Beauty for Ashes; and Battlefield of the Mind. Joyce travels extensively, holding conferences throughout the year, speaking to thousands around the world. She resides in St. Louis, MO.

FaithWords, 160 pages.

I received a complimentary egally of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)