Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World

by Max Lucado

When it comes to anxiety, depression, and stress-related illnesses, America is the frontrunner. Max Lucado, provides a roadmap for battling with and healing from anxiety.

Does the uncertainty and chaos of life keep you up at night? Is irrational worry your constant companion? Could you use some calm? If the answer is yes, you are not alone. According to one research program, anxiety-related issues are the number one mental health problem among women and are second only to alcohol and drug abuse among men. Stress-related ailments cost the nation $300 billion every year in medical bills and lost productivity. And use of sedative drugs like Xanax and Valium have skyrocketed in the last 15 years. Even students are feeling it. One psychologist reports that the average high school kid today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950s. Chances are, you or someone you know seriously struggles with anxiety.

Max writes, "The news about our anxiety is enough to make us anxious.” He knows what it feels like to be overcome by the worries and fear of life, which is why he is dedicated to helping millions of readers take back control of their minds and, as a result, their lives.

Anxious for Nothing invites readers to delve into Philippians 4:6-7. After all, it is the most highlighted passage of any book on the planet, according to Amazon:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Self Help, Audiobook, Faith, Religion, Christianity

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

With more than 150 million products in print and several NYT bestsellers, Max Lucado is America's bestselling inspirational author. He serves the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and their mischievous mutt, Andy. His most recent book published in August 2024 and is titled What Happens Next.

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Reviews

[Ellen Gail]

I think it's time I admit that I'm not going to finish this.

I'm not finding it meaningful or interesting, and I'm tired of it sitting on my nightstand and judging me for not reading it.

[Kelly Hodgkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a message worth hearing whether you are stressed out and need to calm down or as a reminder to remain living a calm life.

Max Lucado keeps a sense of humor alongside the wisdom, I love his anecdotes which make the truths easier to remember and the overall tone is one of hope. I love the way each line of the key verse is broken into practical, tangible ways to live it out and counter anxiety. The acronym C.A.L.M. sums it up beautifully.

I am inspired by the premise of the book, those verses were written by Paul at such a difficult time and yet he lives in joy, I can say “yes, I want that too” and feel motivated to change to make that happen. Intellectually I am frightened by the statistics and research highlighting the silent epidemic that is anxiety and the horrible effects of a life lived anxious. Max paints a vivid picture of why, logically, we need this change. Practically, I have things to do at the end of each chapter and they really make a difference. The lines I loved say it best:
"You can't run the world but you can entrust it to God."

"Paul gave his guilt to Jesus. Period. He didn't numb it, hide it, deny it, offset it or punish it. He simply surrendered it to Jesus"

"We choose prayer over despair. Peace happens when people pray"

"The good life begins, not when circumstance change, but when our attitude toward them does."

Another life-changing book from Max Lucado whose biblical insights bring new dimensions to familiar verses along with practical applications all held together with honesty and personal testimony. This message is so timely and will bring hope and light to so many hearts, including mine.

[Mackenzie Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've dealt with copious amounts of social anxiety in the past, and still do from time to time, but thank you, Jesus (!!!) I've taken active steps outside of my comfort zone with the sole intent to eradicate the anxiety. I'd highly suggest taking an acting class, improv class, gym class, any sort of group activity that puts you in a room of strangers, and miles & leagues outside your comfort zone. (I've done all three of the previously suggested & paired them all with prayer, and my anxiety is at an all-time low! Like, it's still there, but I don't let it keep me from living my life anymore.)

I bought this book for a friend of mine, and she enjoyed it so much that she let me borrow it for myself since she knew I also struggled with anxiety. I did enjoy this book overall. It read like a great reminder of things I already knew, but it was nice to be reminded & refreshed. I especially loved Chapter 6 Prayer, Don't Despair and Lucado's suggestion and biblical reference for praying specific prayers. That definitely emboldened me to begin to pray about truly, every little thing.

Would recommend to anyone battling worry/anxiety/fear over any & all situations in their life. God is for you, with you, and loves you. This book absolutely reinforces that truth!

[Meg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Is there a zero star option?
I was unfamiliar with this author and picked up the book as a person of faith who found the title appealing.

Let me sum up and save you the trouble: Lucado uses the Bible to shame and man-splain to you why your clinical anxiety disorder is invalid. Abandoned at 70% through during a diatribe about how God tells us how to avoid anxiety, and if you’re still anxious, you just aren’t listening closely enough.

**Bonus!** Includes a telling of the Unjust Judge parable that I TOTALLY disagree with!

[Rachel | All the RAD Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

I flew through this one quickly during a lunch break before we recorded a podcast where one of our team members interviewed Lucado about anxiety -- it's a good read, a quick read, and nothing mind-blowing. There were some helpful, meaningful nuggets here, but it felt more like a "Hey, Max Lucado, you're a popular author, write about this hot topic!" kind of situation than a truly heartfelt book about anxiety. Not a winner for me personally, but one I think will really be helpful for a lot of people still.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I see where Lucado was going with this book. I see what he has trying to do. I see how the scripture tied in and how, when following these guidelines/ideas, a person with situation based anxiety could really benefit from this book.

However - as a person with real, diagnosed, clinical anxiety, and also a lifelong Believer, I found this book insulting. You can’t pray away your anxiety. You can’t read your Bible more to discover the sovereignty of God to reach an all encompassing inner peace. When you have a legitimate illness, this book was SO frustrating to read. If I were reading a book about dealing with cancer as a Christian, I doubt that the recommendation would be to pray more. Or to read the Bible more for peace.

I loved the idea/concept of this book, but it was a huge miss for me.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, confession time:

I am a bit of a control freak.

Ever since I discovered how to change the settings on my first Mac all the way back in 1995, I have liked things my way, especially when it comes to technology. Sometimes, that has caused problems; for example, I watch pretty much everything with closed captioning, because it helps me understand shows and movies better...but, as I found out on a youth retreat, quite a few people don't like watching anything with the CCs. Others have also complained about what I had on my desktop, such as when Disney Channel actresses were constantly on there; I've matured past such things since, but, I can see why some were annoyed, especially my mom, who felt like she had some girl living inside her computer. (Those were her exact words.) Now that I have a Mac and other devices that hardly anyone else ever touches, I can customize to my heart's content...but, sometimes, I have to be considerate of not only others, but God as well. If my Facebook friends find my profile picture of some Hollywood celebrity inappropriate, or if my desktop seems to serve as a shrine to some entertainment franchise...well, it needs to be changed.

More to the point: I've constantly found the actions of others upsetting, including fellow Christians. I regularly see or hear people of the faith saying or doing things that would have landed me in big trouble if my mom had seen, heard, or even found out about me acting that way. While I respect my mom's guidance, because I've matured past my rebellious teenage years, I still often think: Why are these people saying or doing all that mess? When my mother and I have talked, she often tells me that you can't control other people; you can only control yourself. This book has the same message, and talks about how control freaks are the unhappiest people of all; the more they realize they can't control, the more frustrated they get.

Thanks to randomly deciding to listen to the audio version of this book on the Libby app, I have realized that, instead of going crazy when events don't go my way, I should trust God...and that's just what I'm going to do!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not what I was expecting (which happens a lot because I don't often read the jacket beforehand. I should, but I don't.) I was actually pleasantly surprised by this. Max Lucado uses scriptures to combat anxiety.

In some other reviews, people mentioned they were offended because they felt the author was saying you can pray away anxiety. TBH, I didn't get that message. I thought he was just saying turn over to God what you can. And to have trust even in darkness. There were some useful nuggets here and I loved his extensive use of scriptures. So 4 stars.

[Aurimas Gudas · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I feel anxious, I have to remember that God is in control and I have to trust Him. Not everything depends on me. I just have to let it go. To let God take care of it. I need to read more books like this and to change my way of thinking.

[Rob McFarren · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eh. It's popcorn reading with a total misunderstanding of anxiety as worry. Every example given is regarding propping up belief by staying committed to that belief no matter what. Sound simple? Sure, if all you are doing is worrying about external circumstances and it's impact on you... without going to the deep places.

This book does not even come close to addressing existential anxiety or angst. It missed all clinical and psychological aspects other than in passing glances to point back to belief for belief's sake.

For instance, everything is rooted in who you are as what you believe. He even writes "The most important thing about you is your belief system." I cannot disagree more. It's whitewash that doesn't even come close to underlying, genuine experiential anxiety. Rather, it's all about God being sovereign. So if you have anxiety, just remember God's in charge. I'm sorry, but this is so superficial it doesn't even pass cursory theological depth.

Maybe it works for people who just need encouragement to keep on going in their current lives and structures. And that is great...but it did not impact me at all other than straight disagreement with the core premises. It wasn't even deep enough for that disagreement to become a dialogue partner for me as well... nothing that even challenged me to wonder why I disagree so completely.

Oh well. It was a quick and easy read, so not too much time lost.

[Shannon A · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good quick read and reminder to stop and give it over to God.

[Varina Denman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I probably should read this book once a month. 😳

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful.

The title "Anxious For Nothing" isn't a gentle scold on being anxious for no reason. The book acknowledges that there are many things in life that cause us anxiety. Rather, the book is about trusting God in such a way that gives Him control over our anxieties and leaves us exactly that...anxious for nothing. "Because the Lord is near, we can be anxious for nothing."

This is my first Max Lucado book, so I was a bit surprised at its actual brevity; only 152 pages of narrative (with every couple pages filled with just a single sentence) with a remaining 70 pages of reflection questions and Bible verses. This is fine, especially if the book is read as part of a study, but I admit I did feel a bit cheated.

That being said, I very much enjoyed the counsel of Max Lucado and how it was supported with Scripture in context. (It seems so many Christian writers take Scripture out of context these days.) I found myself jotting down little bits in a notebook and adding a few nuggets to the margins of my Bible. This is by far the best book I have read in terms of a Biblical approach to anxiety that makes sense and is Scripture-based.

[Antonella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian nonfiction!!
With some great examples and overall good vibes...
If that is your thing I recommend it...
However, I don't think this will benefit much to people with severe anxiety...




"Don’t worry over anything whatever; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer, and the peace of God which transcends human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7

[Deacon Tom F. (Recovering from a big heart attack) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The theme of the book is God is with us regardless of our our moods our feelings towards God and when we feel down God is there

This book was full of examples. It made me look at myself deeply

My personal reflection was to say, “What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to me in my 73 years”? My answer over all the years God was always there.

A great book for all but especially Christians.

[Ben Denison · Rating 4 out of 5]

His books are always uplifting and positive.

[Emma.catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winning book by Max Lucado 🙌🏽

This was a very insightful and helpful read. But it went a step further, providing us with an encompassing study guide to help all that useful information sink in.

There are some fantastic take-aways from this book that I know I will cling on to, just as it teaches us to cling on to Jesus 🙏🏼 🕊️ 🤲🏼

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Leslie McKee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a number of Lucado’s books, and I’ve yet to be disappointed. This book was a bit shorter than I expected (and I would’ve loved it to have been longer!), but there is so much information to be gained in it that I took my time reading it.

The overall message of this book is based on what Paul said in Philippians 4:6: “Be anxious for nothing.” And if someone had a reason to be anxious, it was Paul! Yet, he was able to live in joy. If he can do it, anyone can. Lucado offers tips and encouragement for “finding C.A.L.M. in a chaotic world.” C.A.L.M. stands for:

Celebrate God’s goodness.
Ask God for help.
Leave your concerns with God.
Meditate on good things.

There are numerous stories shared throughout the book, as well as Scripture verses, and they are very relatable. The book, overall, is very well-written with tips that are easy to apply. Lucado does note that some people will need the help of therapy and/or medication, and that both are legitimate parts of God’s healing for some people.

There are questions for reflection at the end of the book. I would’ve preferred these to have been listed at the end of each chapter, but they do make a good resource for individual or small-group study.

Some of my favorite quotes include:

• “You are the air traffic controller of your mental airport. You occupy the control tower, directing the mental traffic of your world. If a thought lands, it is because you gave it permission. If it leaves, it is because you commanded it to do so. You select your thoughts."
• “Do not meditate on the mess.”
• “What you have in Christ is greater than anything you don’t have in life.”
• “The good life begins, not when circumstances change, but when our attitude toward them does.”
• “There is a reason the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror. Your future matters more than your past.”

(As a note: I've read this book more than once. It's just as beneficial as it was the first time!)

[Kate Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book sitting on my shelves for a long time now, and I finally got to read it as a buddy-read with The Very Awesome Mikayla.

It was so good, y'all! Whenever I thought the book was veering one way theologically, the next chapter would address my issue, bringing balance and deep encouragement. I loved the emphasis on God's sovereignty in tandem with His mercy, and the C.A.L.M. acronym was immensely helpful.

There were some highly quotable passages I'll definitely be revisiting.

A quick word about "taking thoughts captive"... while this book doesn't deny the existence of intrusive thoughts it never addresses them, so if you struggle in this area, this part of the book might not be for you. ;) Some of us have brains that are not easily controlled, and God has grace for that.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suffer from anxiety... ughhh it's awful. I'm always looking for advice and a fix for it. I've read a lot of books on it but this was the first book I've read that was about God and anxiety. Trust me.. I pray about it, but this book gives some specific scriptures to read and an entire section in the back of the book with a bible study on it. The study even includes meditations to read. I recently discovered a large online bible study called Proverbs 31 Ministries online bible study and have enjoyed the books they pick (this being one). It usually takes my library a little while to get the book so I'm behind on the studies but the nice thing is that I can go back and read the book discussions. Really, if you suffer from anxiety and are Christian this is an excellent book.

[Brittany McCann · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you want to read/listen to a sermon about anxiety than you will enjoy this book, but I was wanting somehting more.

I have never read a Max Lucado book, so maybe that is just his style.

It wasn't bad, but I am not an overly religious person, and I didn't get what I was looking for in this one.

2 Stars

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. I really needed this. It was light, but hitting a lot of great points. (I've decided to change my rating down a star after some time.) Review to come.

[sara ࿐ྂ]

˗ˏˋ꒰𝗻𝗼 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴꒱ 𑁍ࠜೄ ･ﾟˊˎ
playιng: [𝒂𝒏𝒙𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈] - [𝗺𝗮𝘅 𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗼]
1:35 ──────ㅇ───────── 3:47

↯
˗ˏˋ꒰ ꒱ 𝒑𝒓𝒆-𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔

➵ 𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒅: august 7th, 2024

⇒ i’m a very anxious person and overthink situations that will most likely not happen. i want to read more faith based non fiction to help me grow and also get closer with God. wanting to see if this will help me deal with my anxiousness in a healthy way.


-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

to be fair, how do you rate a self help book? it feels weird to rate it….

i liked how max lucado did a deep dive into my favorite bible verse:

“𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗼𝗱. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀.”

~ 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀‬ ‭𝟰‬:‭𝟲-𝟳‭

when i first started to feel anxious, my mom gave me several bible verses to memorize when i was panicking and philippians 4:6-7 was the one i took to more than the others.

what lucado discussed in the book, i have told myself several times but it makes a bigger impact when someone else tells you what you need to hear. whenever i feel anxious, i pray constantly and then there’s a unexplainable peace (it’s God) that washes over me and keeps me calm.

so in conclusion, here’s what i learned or understood more:

• God doesn’t want us to deal with worry, because we won’t add any time to our lives by worrying

•He is faithful and will never leave you alone…He is just waiting for us to submit the troubles to Him for Him to handle it

•He provides for the birds with the food they need, and if we’re worth far more than them, why are we worried we won’t be provided for?

if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, this is a good book to read if you’re an anxious person like me. this book helped me a lot!

[Entre Páginas by Jacky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libro: Ansiosos por Nada
Autor: Max Lucado
Calificación : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Formato: Físico
Literatura Cristiana

Este libro llegó a mis manos como bálsamo. Creo que hablo por muchos que tendemos a preocuparnos por muchas cosas y estas en muchos de los casos no podemos controlarlas o no dependen de nosotros.

Pero existe algo maravilloso que debemos experimentar y es la paz de Dios y esa confianza de que una vez le hemos entregado nuestras cargas, aflicciones, situaciones que vivimos y le pedimos que tome el control ... Él nos escucha y en su perfecto tiempo veremos la respuesta que Dios tiene para nosotros.

Una parte que me encantó del libro es : "Ningún problema es insoluble... nadie tiene su destino decidido y sellado. Ni existe una persona no amada o incapaz de ser amada".

3 puntos que definitivamente me dan una gran lección para aplicar :

A) La oración específica es una oración importante
B) La oración específica es una oportunidad para ver a Dios en acción.
C) Una oración específica crea una carga más ligera

Me encanto y sin duda lo recomiendo.

Hay tantos puntos que resaltar de este bello libro, que lo mejor que puedo decir es... LÉELO!!!

#crecimientopersonal #ansiedad #ansiosospornada #devocional #relax #bibliophile #bookaholic #booklover #books #bookcommunity #booknerd #bookgram #booklove #bookstagramespañol #librosenespañol #librosrecomendados #reading #literature #newbooks #bookchallenge #bookquotes #annotatedbooks #bookannotations #bookishfeed #libros #amoleer #bookstagramgt #bookstagramguatemala

[Carrolet · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was even more anxious when I finished the book. Don’t think that was supposed to happen.

[Grace Arango · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helped me in a tough time.
Good stuff!

[Soraya Zavala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lo leí despacio para disfrutar cada meditación y lograr entender bien el mensaje que Dios tenía preparado para mi en este momento de lectura y meditación 🙏🏻

[jaz ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎ · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could give this 0 stars I would, don’t waste your time.

[Kym McNabney]

When I see the name MAX LUCADO my interest is captured. When I ran across ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING: FINDING CALM IN A CHAOTIC WORLD, I ordered it immediately. I have run across many in my life that struggle with anxiety. I think if we were honest, most of us do in one form or another, at different times in our lives.

ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING goes beyond what the title may first bring to mind. Anxious comes in many levels. We all have feared, worried, wanted to know what is going to happen ahead of time. Wondered if we are making the right decision, if the decision we make is the right one.

ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING gives practical and Biblical ways to reduce fear, anxiety and uncertainty. I am three fourths of the way through the book, and so excited about what it contains I had to stop and write a review. Whether you believe you have a large or small issue with anxiety, or perhaps know of someone that does, ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING will be a benefit to your life. A must read by all, and one you will wish you had the funds to purchase a book for everyone in your life.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grabbed Anxious for Nothing on a whim when I saw the lovely cover at my library. I expected a moving self-help book to help with my anxiety, instead I got a repetitious, mediocre story.

Lucado repeated the same scripture while making the same point throughout the book. As I began each chapter, I expected something new and refreshing, but I didn't find it. I did enjoy how quickly it went by.

On a side note, as a Catholic I caught on to some bitter, negativity towards our beliefs.

For those still wanting to read, I would suggest to complete the reflections in the back of the book for each chapter--I didn't see these until I had finished reading.