The Anxiety Opportunity

How Worry Is the Doorway to Your Best Self

By: Curtis Chang

Narrated by: Curtis Chang

What if instead of battling anxiety, you saw your worries as a doorway to spiritual transformation? Challenging the assumption that anxiety is the enemy, theologian, popular podcaster, and fellow sufferer of chronic anxiety Curtis Chang gives you a different framework for approaching fears. You will discover profound new ways of relating to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and those you love.

Curtis Chang knows what it's like to view anxiety as a sin to overcome. He also knows how trying to get rid of anxiety through sheer faith or willpower usually leads to feelings of shame and frustration. After losing his job as a pastor due to debilitating anxiety, Curtis began the process of healing his heart. Combining years of personal experience, spiritual practice, and biblical study, Curtis discovered an alternative approach—one that sees anxiety as the path to our best selves in Christ.

For all of us who feel stuck in a never-ending war with worry, The Anxiety Opportunity offers:

• Biblical wisdom about how anxiety can lead to rich spiritual growth
• An invitation to examine our fears as a way of pursuing our calling
• Simple practices for converting nervous energy into fruitful energy
• Insights into why trying to avoid loss generates more anxiety
• A renewed sense of peace as we realize what God can do through our fears

It's time to think differently about the relationship between anxiety and spiritual growth. This unique and profound exploration of one of the greatest epidemics of our time shows us how anxiety can be the very place we meet Jesus—and how channeling our anxiety can help us become more like him.

©2023 Curtis Chang (P)2023 Zondervan

Great perspective on eternity w.r.t. anxiety

I appreciate the openness that Curtis has regarding his struggles with anxiety. That alone has helped reduce my shame and guilt about being anxious.
The biggest impact this book has on me is that this changed my thinking about eternity. Now I anticipate eternity. Previously I had thought of eternity as sitting around in heaven and worshiping God through singing, and, like Curtis shares in the book, I also was not really looking forward to it. Honestly, that sounds boring. Thanks to this book, I'm thinking about the new earth every day. I love nature, and am looking forward to the day when there are no invasive species or endangered plants or animals. I imagine there will still be rare plants and animals that we will be able to search and find in eternity, but they won't be in danger of becoming extinct. Creation will no longer be groaning. Marveling at God's creation is how I can see myself worshiping God throughout eternity. What a marvelous place the New Heaven and Earth will be! Thank you, Curtis for opening my eyes to the true eternal state.

Use anxiety to draw closer to God

I appreciate the points made in this book and the encouragement to use our anxiety as an opportunity to pray and grow in relationship with God.

Good advice

Lots of helpful tips on dealing with anxiety, controlling it, and it not controlling you.

Great!

Practical and theologically strong framework for rightly handling anxiety. This books helps clear stigma, shame, and of course..clobber verses that have held people back from peace and rest.

Important gospel-centered contribution

Great writers give us words we didn’t know we needed and help us articulate things we may have felt but didn’t know how to quantify. That’s what this book did for me.

I’m so grateful for the Jesus-focused, gospel-centered exploration of anxiety and the opportunity it gives us to draw closer to Christ. Thanks for writing this Curtis.

Excellent and practical

Great book for people with anxiety, for those who come from a Christian background, and probably feel ashamed of their anxiety. Chang deals well with the stigma of anxiety and a solid theology in dealing with it.

Must read rethinking of life

I grew up doing everything I could to avoid inner pain and anxiety. I’m not sure how much of this came from culture, the church, or just being human. This book’s rethinking of how to deal with inner conflict is much needed in Western Christianity and very helpful to me personally in both theory and practical suggestions.

Wow! Such a hopeful message for anxious people like me

Chang’s honesty and storytelling are compelling and he brings to light gospel truths that are so hopeful in times of anxiety or adversity

Must read - fresh and new perspective on anxiety

I am not a highly anxious person, yet I found that the "The Anxiety Opportunity" provides a fresh new perspective on anxiety which was thought provoking, entertaining, and highly practical. I've heard my fair share of podcasts, sermons and talks on managing anxiety, but "The Anxiety Opportunity" encourages a different and unique lens on the topic, which will equip readers with new tools to manage anxiety. I highly recommend readers of all levels of anxiety to check this out.

Just what I needed

Lots of original thinking about anxiety and struggles that any Christian needs to hear. feel blessed I found this book.