Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest

This is one of the best books on this subject from one of the best authors on the subject. It’s thoroughly Scripture-based in its approach to dealing with fear and worry.

I do not generally consider myself a worrier. I am more the easy-going type--the kind who is generally carefree and and does not succumb to fear. Or so I like to think. But even then I have to admit that I can be fearful--I can give in to the temptation to worry. Even if I worry about the things I consider "big," I prove to myself that I am still a worrier at heart. And to tell the truth, I don't know of anyone who doesn't worry about something at sometime. We all tend to feel fear at one time or another; we all tend to be afraid of life, of what it brings, or of what we think it might bring in the future.Running Scared is a book for fearful people, which is to say that it is a book for everybody. It is notable not only for its subject matter, but for its author--Edward Welch who has written, among other highly regarded titles When People Are Big and God Is Small. The book is divided into thirty chapters and Welch encourages the reader to tackle one chapter per day and to not return to the next until he has taken the time to discuss each one with another person. The chapters fall into two uneven parts, one with four and the other with twenty six chapters.Welch begins with some initial observations, perhaps the most important of which is in the third chapter. It is here that he reveals that "fear speaks." This is to say that fear tells us about...us. It tells us about how we understand ourselves, about how we understand God and how we understand the world around. Fear is "a door to spiritual reality." "There is a close connection," Welch says, "between what we fear and what we think we need. ... Whatever you need is a mere stone's throw from what you fear." That statement is profound and well worth further consideration. It is little wonder that Welch suggests pausing often to ponder. Another point that I found worth of extra attention was this one: "Worriers live in the future." Worriers are constantly looking into the future and using their imaginations to construct their own version of what the future will look like--what it must look like based on their understanding of what has happened, what will happen, and how God works."Here is where adult imaginations show their mettle. Imaginations are our ability to consider things that don't presently exist. Sometimes we call it vision. A visionary is one who looks ahead and envisions the trajectory of a church, business, or individual life. A talented visionary is one who can see future possibilities and persuade others of that future. Visionaries are rarely right (at least in the details), tend to be optimistic, and are always confident."What does this have to do with worry? "Worriers are visionaries minus the optimism." Ouch. Worriers construct worse case scenario futures for themselves and begin to believe that these futures must be theirs. In this way they take on the role of prophets, but only of false prophets. And we all know what the Bible prescribes for false prophets...Having shared his initial observations, Welch turns to the voice of God, providing a series of chapters in which "God speaks." God first speaks about some general principles related to fear and worry and then to more specific matters--money and possessions; people and their judgments; death, pain and punishment; and then peace. Each chapter turns to Scripture for its authority and each concludes with a point or two of a personal response of application or reflection.With surprise I admit that this is my first foray into the books of Edward Welch (though it certainly will not be my last). He has quite a unique writing style, one that made me think of Mark Buchanan with maybe a few shades of Max Lucado or Phillip Yancey (which in this case I mean to be a compliment). He writes conversationally, almost poetically, but also exegetically, drawing what he teaches primarily from the Bible. It is clear that He relies on Scripture as his authority and his source.For someone who does not consider himself much of a worrier, I was surprised to find that this book offered me a lot to think about; it offered me a challenge to see where (not if) I worry. And as it offered the biblical diagnosis, it offered also the biblical cure. It showed me that worry, though usually a hidden sin and perhaps even a sin that most often seems harmless, is a sin that impacts my life and serves to distance me from the God who says time and time again, "Do not be afraid. Peace be with you. The Lord give you peace." It showed me most clearly of all that the way I feel about fear and worry is a sure indication of what I believe about God.Running Scared is a book I highly recommend. I think you'll want to add it to your library as well.

As the economy worsens, you wonder how you will pay all your bills. You'd like to go to a Bible study, but you're afraid that you don't know enough and you'll look dumb in front of everyone. You get mad when things don't go as you planned. You stress over all the details of an event and you hate delegating to others because they might not do it right. Do you relate to any of these scenarios? I'm going to assume that you either do, or you are lying to yourself! So how do we deal with the fear, anxiety, worry and control issues that we all face? As a start to begin to deal with these things, I would highly recommend Running Scared: Fear, Worry and the God of Rest by Edward T. Welch.Unlike many books on the topic of fear, this one is not a "self-help" book (although if it is read and applied, it will definitely help) - it is a " how God helps" book! The book has two sections. The first section places our fears, anxieties and worries into a proper perspective. Our fears reveal things about us, what we trust in, what we hope in, and ultimately, what we believe about God. Welch has some very helpful and challenging things to say about this:"Worriers are visionaries minus the optimism." (pp. 50).He also says that ultimately, worries are false prophets, because the exact details of their worries never come true! (Ouch!)."The plan? Here it is so far. Take a hard look at yourself instead of your circumstances when worry is blaring. Ask yourself what you are trusting in. Consider your poor track record for predictions, yet recognize that all these steps, while they may give you some hope, still don't push back the boundaries of fear and worry. Reason alone can't do it. Face the reality that we have to go outside ourselves for an answer and seek the God who is in control." (pp. 54).Part Two deals with specific areas of fear, struggle, control and anxiety, such as money and possessions, other people, death, pain and punishment. Again, the areas Welch deals with relate to anyone who is human living in this fallen world."As Father, God comes close to you. He knows your needs and you take comfort in his love. As King, he sovereignly reigns over his kingdom, and his bidding will come to pass. You take comfort in his power. If he is going to speak effectively to your fears, he must be both loving and strong, and indeed he is". (pp. 67).The book has 30 chapters, and Welch suggests reading only one chapter a day and spending some time meditating upon the issues that each one deals with. Each chapter ends with a section called "A Personal Response" which helps give the reader some guidance on how to apply the lessons of that chapter. For example, in the chapter "When the Kingdom Isn't Enough" (on money and possessions), the personal response says:"I want to say to myself, Okay, now stop it. Stop holding onto your stuff. Be more generous. And I do say that, but it doesn't really work. So I confess that I can, at times be frozen with indecision at the crossroads of the kingdoms. I don't want to be possessed by things that have no longevity. I want to be possessed by Christ. I take small steps of obedience: tithing, serving, and asking others for wisdom about money....Through it all I must ask the question, Why is it about you? You are not the King; you are the servant of the King! Then I settle back and listen to God's patient and persuasive responses. `He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?' (Rom. 8:32)" (pp. 134-135).Running Scared is a must read for all of us who struggle to really trust God with the future and the details of our lives. It is very God-centered and grace-centered, and that is the type of teaching that will really change a person! Put this one at the top of your "must read" list for this year!

A very helpful book. I'm reading this for a second time having gone through a very difficult time with fearing and the paralysing effect it has on me. I have no hesitation in recommending it to Christian friends, and I've given a copy to a non Christian friend too. The author has grown in His dependence on God through his struggle with fear, he anticipates where fear thoughts take you with great insight, and then seeks to make them captive to God's truth. There are no easy fixes, but an extremely hopeful encouragement to keep on depending on the loving God who is our only hope, and to keep turning to Him through our trials.

This is a brilliant book for any Christian who struggles with anxiety or fear at any point in their life - which I imagine is most of us. Ed Welch is probably better known for his book "When People Are Big and God Is Small", and he has a real pastoral heart in everything he writes. This book is written as a series of about thirty meditations, recommended by the author to be read no more than one per day so that you can chew it over before moving onto the next one. He's not at all judgemental or "super-spiritual" in acknowledging the reality of our doubts, and helps point us to the realities of Jesus' kingdom that help give us confidence to go on. Awesome.

I read this book with a friend weekly. It's a great resource to study together as the chapters are fairly similar in size, some weeks we double up. Welch beautiful Incorporates real life & the right scripture to the point that when you read the scripture in light of the issues raised in the chapter you feel great honor & blessing. Beautifully written, easy to digest. It is a large book but well worth the read!

Lived this book helped me understand my anxiety in ways of not appreciated before. Moreover it gave me ways to look at particular fears and follow them back to God and what particularly I was struggling with our under. Great book well worth going back over to reinforce what you learned the first time.

Excellent and very challenging and godly read - highly recommend to help you get heavenly priorities not earthly ones :)