A sinking stomach, a racing mind, unwanted worry that seems to never end...
These anxious feelings impact all of us from time to time. Sometimes it is manageable, sometimes anxiety becomes beyond what we can handle. But anxiety is always unpleasant.
The Bible speaks to this human experience, both acknowledging the experience of anxiety, describing people who experienced it and encouraging us to engage with God through our anxiety.
Here we've collected seven of our favourite books on anxiety — including picks for adults, kids, and those caring for others in their church.
The Way of the Wildflower: Gospel Meditations to Unburden Your Anxious Soul
By Ruth Chou Simons
Best-selling author and artist, Ruth Chou Simons, has crafted this beautiful book full of hand-painted wildflower art as an invitation to meditate on both the scriptures and the flowers of the field as Jesus told us to in Luke 12:25-28. In our hurried world, an encouragement to slow down, consider the scriptures and learn from God's creation is exactly what we need and exactly what this book will give.
This would make for a stunning coffee-table book to refresh your mind each morning over coffee.
When the Noise Won't Stop: A Christian Guide to Dealing With Anxiety
By Paul Grimmond
Local Australian pastor, college lecturer and author, Paul Grimmond, has written When the Noise Won't Stop to help those struggling specifically with anxiety. He writes with understanding, as one who has suffered from the bone-aching, soul-wearing tiredness that relentless anxiety brings.
This book does a wonderful job of bringing the scriptures to bear on the topic of anxiety. His work on the Biblical use of 'anxiety' in Chapter 3, Anxiety in the Bible, is particularly helpful. Grimmond tackles some of the more difficult topics around medication and breathing exercises in a very helpful manner in Chapter 9, Responding to Anxiety: Caring for our Bodies and Relating to our Environment.
In all, this is a very helpful book for sufferers, supporters and pastors, covering a large range of aspects in a wise, hopeful and biblical manner.
Zoe's Hiding Place: When You Are Anxious
By David Powlison
Even kids feel anxious. In fact, it's a growing problem these days.
That's why biblical counsellor David Powlison (1949-2019) wrote Zoe's Hiding Place to encourage children aged 3-8 in their own struggles with worry, fear and anxiety.
Readers walk with Zoe, a fearful and anxious mouse, as she struggles with going to a school trip. Through discussions with her parents, Zoe learns to turn to God in her worry and is given a Bible verse by her dad to encourage her throughout the day.
The book includes tear-out bible verses at the back of the book that children can carry around to remind themselves of the word of God as well as notes to parents to assist with talking to your child about anxiety.
This book is the first in the Good News For Little Hearts series — a line of children's books designed to help children learn about how the Bible would have us deal with the difficult things in life.
This short booklet is also worth investing in if you are wondering how to help your anxious child: Helping Your Anxious Child: What to Do When Worries Get Big.
Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World
By Max Lucado
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. — Philippians 4:6-7, NIV
What does this famous passage mean for the Christian as we experience fears and worries in this life? Anxiety is clearly a part of life, but how should we view it and how should we respond as we feel worry rise within us? Must anxiety dominate our life?
These are the questions Max Lucado explores in this well-loved book. One reviewer on Koorong.com wrote:
"This book like other by Max has easy to read chapter that follow suit, chapter by chapter. Each one starting with a story about someone Max has met or heard about, he then goes on to relate it back to scripture and then onwards to ourselves. After each chapter I was left feeling very touched and spoken to. I highly recommend this book! Chapter 3 and 10 specifically are special ones!"
A Few Books with Sections on Anxiety
Heal Your Hurting Mind: Biblical Hope for Anxiety, Depression, Burnout, and the Emotions No One Talks About
By Craig Groeschel
This best-selling title is written by pastor Craig Groeschel alongside clinical psychologist Dr. Wayne Chappelle. It weaves together personal accounts of Craig's own struggles, wisdom from the Scriptures as well as psychological insights.
Although this book is not all about Anxiety, it does have a section dedicated to this topic where the reader is encouraged to look to God as they Pray, Pause and Praise.
Mental Health and Your Church
By Helen Thorne, Steve Midgley
This book is a must-read for those interested in understanding how we should approach mental health issues in the church. There is a divide in the mental health space between those who believe mental health struggles are purely a spiritual problem, and those who believe they are purely medical/psychological. This book presents the middle ground, that mental health is usually both medical and spiritual in nature.
Helen Thorne and Dr Steve Midgley also touch on how churches can care for those battling mental health difficulties including encouraging Christians to think about caring for the carer, not just the sufferer.
The reason this book has made it onto this list is that Chapter 12 gives practical pointers around caring specifically for those struggling with anxiety.
Untangling Emotions
By Winston Smith, J Alasdair Groves
What are emotions? Understanding the answer to this question will drive how we engage with our own emotions and the emotions of others.
Biblical counsellors, Winston Smith and Alasdair Groves spend most of their time in this book digging into what the Bible says about our emotional life. In short, they explain that emotions are a normal part of life and are a good gift from God that communicate what we care about.
This book made it onto this list because its content is universally applicable to those struggling with any emotions and because chapter 13 specifically engages with Fear (otherwise known as anxiety or worry).
Read this to understand what emotions are and to learn how to engage, not ignore, your emotions.
A Note on Different Approaches
Christians disagree about how to approach anxiety. The divide is between those who believe mental health struggles are purely a spiritual problem, and those who believe they are purely medical/psychological.
As with most divides, this is more of a spectrum, rather than polar differences and these days authors are often aware of the differences and so present their case in a measured manner. Very few people claim the extreme ends, but authors, doctors and pastors do differ on how far they lean into the spiritual or medical aspects of mental health issues like anxiety.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bible say about anxiety?
The Bible doesn't shy away from anxiety — it acknowledges the experience, describes people who wrestled with it, and points us to God in the midst of it. Philippians 4:6-7 is a key passage, encouraging believers to bring their worries to God in prayer with thanksgiving, with the promise that His peace will guard their hearts and minds.
What's a good Christian book about anxiety for adults?
Anxious for Nothing by Max Lucado and When the Noise Won't Stop by Paul Grimmond are both written specifically for adults working through anxiety, combining biblical teaching with practical, compassionate guidance.
Is there a Christian book about anxiety for kids?
Yes — Zoe's Hiding Place: When You Are Anxious by David Powlison is written for children aged 3-8 and uses a relatable story to help them turn to God with their worries. The short booklet Helping Your Anxious Child is a helpful companion for parents.
Do Christians agree on whether anxiety is a spiritual or medical issue?
Not entirely. Christians sit across a spectrum — some lean toward viewing anxiety as a purely spiritual issue, others as a medical or psychological one. Most authors, doctors and pastors today land somewhere in the middle, treating anxiety as both a spiritual and a medical matter.
Which books cover anxiety as part of a broader mental health discussion?
Heal Your Hurting Mind, Mental Health and Your Church, and Untangling Emotions all include dedicated chapters or sections on anxiety within a wider conversation about mental health and emotions.
Thomas Eglinton | Koorong
