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Jars Of Clay: Peace for the Anxious Soul
Globally, we've never been more anxious. Statistics for those seeking help for anxiety are rising rapidly and countless more individuals battle day after day feeling isolated and alone. Maybe you're one of them. Writing both to those desperately seeking peace for themselves and for those wanting to help others, Chartered Psychologist, Catherine Haddow, speaks truth to calm our fearful minds and hearts.
There is a better way to contend with our anxieties. Ultimately, deep and lasting peace can be found, not in a process, but in the person of Jesus who meets us in our fear and brokenness.
There is a better way to contend with our anxieties. Ultimately, deep and lasting peace can be found, not in a process, but in the person of Jesus who meets us in our fear and brokenness.
200 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
3 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 2, 2024
I am a Christian, but there is so much I disagree with here that I’d have to write another book just to explain myself.
December 10, 2020
I'm wanting to be careful with this review. This is a difficult and tender topic for a great number of people, and there's a lot of nuance to be found, and deep conversations to be had. The tone of this review shouldn't be taken as anger, but more disappointment and concern.
Jars of Clay has a promising concept. 'Peace for the Anxious Soul'. I began reading it thinking that it was pretty much about seeking God in the midst of anxiety. I was reassured when the author stated that bombarding anxious believers with bible verses and theology isn't helpful.
The rest of the book left me slightly bemused, and I'm concerned that, had I read it a few years ago in the middle of my own mental health struggles, it would have completely crushed my spirit. The idea of what 'anxiety' is becomes a little confused. At times it's portrayed as completely debilitating, and at others it's portrayed as worrying a bit about something - which is both normal and acceptable.
It's also fairly constantly equated with idolatry or losing sight of God's goodness. Now, this is where it gets complicated. Of course, those suffering from anxiety can struggle to hold on to biblical truths. It can make believers more prone to doubt. But equating anxiety with doubt is misleading and potentially quite damaging. From my own experience, and the experience of many others, I can say that anxiety and faithfulness can, and often do, go hand in hand. Anxiety is not always worrying about your health, it can be a chronic fight or flight response, or the dreaded 'impending sense of doom'. Feelings with no target, that rise involuntarily in the sufferer.
The book is dotted with examples of stories. These frequently take the form of somebody struggling with some kind of anxiety, seeking professional help, making no progress, turning to God, and being healed. These stories concern me for two reasons. Firstly, the book repeatedly slams 'secular' treatments as being 'me-centred', as though making any effort to do anything for yourself is idolatrous. I can't imagine the author would take the same stance on, for example, somebody giving themselves daily insulin injections, so the complete dismissal of 'me-centred' therapies is bizarre. If feeding yourself is not idolatrous, then taking action to improve your mental health is not idolatrous.
Secondly, the stories usually present turning to God as the moment of freedom from anxiety. Throughout my own struggles with anxiety, I wrestled tearfully with God in prayer daily for a number of years, and nothing happened. I was involved in church, seeking his word, praying regularly, and entrusting him with my burdens. Nothing happened. For years. I reckon if the author was asked, she'd be horrified that I got this message from her book. I doubt it was intended. But the message that seems to come out is 'turning to God will heal your anxiety, and possibly pay your rent'. This is sadly untrue, and borders on prosperity gospel thinking.
Why not 1 star for this book? Because, amidst the bits I struggled with, there are thoughts and applications that really would be useful for an anxious soul. Encouraging anxious people to turn to God is a good thing! Encouraging them to acknowledge idols (where they are present) and repent of sin (where it is present) is a good thing. But presenting the idea that anxiety IS sin, and ALWAYS stems from idolatry, is an idea that caused a great deal of pain for me, as well-meaning fellow-believers inadvertently crushed me further beneath the weight of their accusations.
Jars of Clay has a promising concept. 'Peace for the Anxious Soul'. I began reading it thinking that it was pretty much about seeking God in the midst of anxiety. I was reassured when the author stated that bombarding anxious believers with bible verses and theology isn't helpful.
The rest of the book left me slightly bemused, and I'm concerned that, had I read it a few years ago in the middle of my own mental health struggles, it would have completely crushed my spirit. The idea of what 'anxiety' is becomes a little confused. At times it's portrayed as completely debilitating, and at others it's portrayed as worrying a bit about something - which is both normal and acceptable.
It's also fairly constantly equated with idolatry or losing sight of God's goodness. Now, this is where it gets complicated. Of course, those suffering from anxiety can struggle to hold on to biblical truths. It can make believers more prone to doubt. But equating anxiety with doubt is misleading and potentially quite damaging. From my own experience, and the experience of many others, I can say that anxiety and faithfulness can, and often do, go hand in hand. Anxiety is not always worrying about your health, it can be a chronic fight or flight response, or the dreaded 'impending sense of doom'. Feelings with no target, that rise involuntarily in the sufferer.
The book is dotted with examples of stories. These frequently take the form of somebody struggling with some kind of anxiety, seeking professional help, making no progress, turning to God, and being healed. These stories concern me for two reasons. Firstly, the book repeatedly slams 'secular' treatments as being 'me-centred', as though making any effort to do anything for yourself is idolatrous. I can't imagine the author would take the same stance on, for example, somebody giving themselves daily insulin injections, so the complete dismissal of 'me-centred' therapies is bizarre. If feeding yourself is not idolatrous, then taking action to improve your mental health is not idolatrous.
Secondly, the stories usually present turning to God as the moment of freedom from anxiety. Throughout my own struggles with anxiety, I wrestled tearfully with God in prayer daily for a number of years, and nothing happened. I was involved in church, seeking his word, praying regularly, and entrusting him with my burdens. Nothing happened. For years. I reckon if the author was asked, she'd be horrified that I got this message from her book. I doubt it was intended. But the message that seems to come out is 'turning to God will heal your anxiety, and possibly pay your rent'. This is sadly untrue, and borders on prosperity gospel thinking.
Why not 1 star for this book? Because, amidst the bits I struggled with, there are thoughts and applications that really would be useful for an anxious soul. Encouraging anxious people to turn to God is a good thing! Encouraging them to acknowledge idols (where they are present) and repent of sin (where it is present) is a good thing. But presenting the idea that anxiety IS sin, and ALWAYS stems from idolatry, is an idea that caused a great deal of pain for me, as well-meaning fellow-believers inadvertently crushed me further beneath the weight of their accusations.
January 19, 2023
It only took me so long to finish this book because I valued it so much and wanted to always have an anxiety book on deck but honestly that goes against the great wisdom it teaches: only by coming to true communion with God do we realize the truth of his promises and slowly surrender our dysfunctional treasures. I truly loved this book; it looks at how anxiety works physiologically, psychologically, and spiritually, showing the different approaches, acknowledging the harmful ways the world and the church have addressed anxiety in the past, taking away blame we place on ourselves, and showing the true healing that comes from “single-mindedly chasing Him through the chaos to grab fervently hold of Him in faith and love.” Would recommend this for people with anxiety and for people with friends with anxiety and for people with just generic worries!
August 26, 2024
I found Jars of Clay a very revelatory and difficult experience. The difficulty was how I felt reading this, which I think is a good sign that it was tackling things dear to my heart and that I struggled with in daily life. The revelation came from reviewing at the end of each chapter how I really felt about God and how He fit into my battle with anxiety. The only thing I found jarring about this book was that there were (in my opinion) too many questions too often, which disrupted the flow of my reading (especially as I like to write my answers down), and that some of these questions were so leading that they felt more like statements which were quite hard to answer. But otherwise, this was an amazing resource to understand and deal with anxiety in a spiritual context.
July 13, 2021
Fear and anxiety has been stealing joy from me for many many years...
I found this book very helpful, it is biblically rich and thought provoking and within is contains a lot of ideas that I had come to understand over years of praying and seeking peace within my anxious soul. Reading the book, I felt understood, not alone, there's a way out and FREEDOM and PEACE in the Lord, in the shadow of his wings. I am not enough, we are jars of clay but he is the wonderful potter in who's hands I have peace
I found this book very helpful, it is biblically rich and thought provoking and within is contains a lot of ideas that I had come to understand over years of praying and seeking peace within my anxious soul. Reading the book, I felt understood, not alone, there's a way out and FREEDOM and PEACE in the Lord, in the shadow of his wings. I am not enough, we are jars of clay but he is the wonderful potter in who's hands I have peace
May 4, 2024
This is such a great book, and really gives so much balance on the subject of anxiety. This is not a Christian "just trust God more and you'll be fine" book, but a carefully worded, balm to the soul. Here is gentle advice for the struggling, here is truth, and here is encouragement. I really recommend.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews