Una mirada más profunda a la ansiedad: Una breve consideración cristiana

by J. Ryan Davidson

Este es un mundo donde se hace difícil vivir. ¿Quién no conoce ese terrible sentimiento que puede brotar en nosotros cuando nos enfrentamos a una situación de miedo o estrés? Sin embargo, para el cristiano, este sentimiento también puede hacernos dudar de nuestra fe en Dios. Lo que puede ser aún más desafiante es cuando luchamos cotidianamente con la ansiedad, el miedo y la preocupación. La sensación de inestabilidad y descontrol que acompaña a la ansiedad puede abrumarnos casi totalmente mientras nos hundimos más y más en nuestros pensamientos y nos preguntamos si la paz llegará alguna vez. Es realmente un camino agotador para el cristiano.
¿Pueden cristianos piadosos sufrir de ansiedad? ¿Podemos seguir teniendo una seguridad bíblica de la salvación y una vida piadosa si nos encontramos batallando con pensamientos de ansiedad? En realidad, esto puede ser un verdadero desafío, incluso una plaga, pues cuando atravesamos por esos momentos sentimos que el mismo consuelo que necesitamos está fuera de nuestro alcance, específicamente porque nos preguntamos si se nos permite tener el consuelo del Evangelio cuando batallamos con la ansiedad.

Sobre el
J. Ryan Davidson es candidato a un doctorado en la Free University of Amsterdam en estudios sobre la teología pastoral en el periodo de la Iglesia Primitiva. Recibió una Licenciatura de Samford University, una Maestría en Educación en The College of William & Mary y una Maestría en Teología en el Southern Baptist Theological Seminary en Louisville, Kentucky, EE. UU. Sirve como pastor de la Grace Baptist Chapel, una iglesia bautista reformada en Hampton, Virginia, EE. UU. Está casado con Christie y juntos tienen cuatro hijos.

Sobre la
Legado Bautista Confesional es una Editorial que existe para dar la gloria a Dios al poner al alcance de la Iglesia de habla hispana escritos teológicos e históricos que proclaman la verdad de la Palabra de Dios desde la perspectiva bautista, la cual ha sido manifestada en sus Confesiones de Fe históricas. Existe con el propósito de contribuir al currículum de libros y lecturas requeridas para la preparación de pastores bautistas reformados de habla hispana, así como a la edificación y estudios de los miembros de sus iglesias.

40 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 21, 2022

Reviews

[Cody Bumpus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very short, yet comprehensive, read from a pastor in our local community. He is a trusted source, and this work is yet another example. It’s a book that you can get through in just 30 minutes of reading, yet covers multiple aspects of the issue of anxiety, from both a biblical perspective as well as physical. Anxiety plagues our culture and often has an unbiblical approach brought to it, so this book was really helpful! It dismantles some common inappropriate excuses and presents some biblical and practical guides. Well worth the read!

[Aron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative booklet about a mayor problem. Davidson looks at anxiety from a scientific perspective, but he primarily looks at it from a biblical theological perspective. As a theologian, it really helped me to think it through. What I liked the most is that Davidson doesn't necessarily encourage his readers to solve the issue of anxiety, but he does however shines his light on how to deal (or help others deal) with it biblically.

[Steve Hemmeke · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this short booklet, the author gives a solidly Biblical look at a neglected issue.
Davidson considers how the Gospel, the ordinary means of grace, Sabbath, and our thinking patterns affect our worries. I especially appreciated the "back-burner" idea, of how to handle unhelpful thoughts that will not go away.

[Persis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A balanced approach based on scripture but not rejecting the common-grace insights from psychiatry and psychology. The author is a trained counselor and a pastor who writes with a very caring heart. I can attest to this because he is my pastor.

[Nate Weis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An immensely helpful little book. Being a person that struggles with anxiety, I found this book to be spiritually edifying, very balanced, and practically useful. This will be at the top of my list of resources to recommend to those wrestling with this issue.

[Ellen Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thinking Through Anxiety by J. Ryan Davidson

The author says, "Can godly Christians suffer from anxiety? Can we still have a biblical assurance of salvation and a godly life if we find ourselves battling with anxious thoughts? Actually, this can be a real challenge, even a plague, for when we go through such times we feel that the very comfort we need is beyond our reach, specifically because we wonder if we are allowed to have the comfort of the Gospel when we battle with anxiety."

This book is steeped in Bible and although it's a short book, give us reminders at each page turn that our focus is to be on the cross, not on our worries.

I'm not a person generally beset by worries, but there are a few "what ifs" that visit from time to time. Even so, the reminder - keep your eye on the cross - was a blessing to receive.

If you're a worrier, or if you know or live with a worrier, then this little book will give you encouragement, or ways to encourage others.