May 2025

by on
Woman at nightfall with quote on emotions crying to be heard.

(Note: This first published on August 26, 2021.)

Many of us are uncomfortable with anger, likely because we’ve seen the damage the emotion, uncontrolled, can produce. We’ve probably, on occasion, created wreckage ourselves. I’ve done both. I’ve been deeply hurt by the rash actions of others, but I’ve also allowed corrosive words to erupt from my mouth.

All that pain and ugliness from the past can motivate me to squelch my anger. But God has shown me, while He is pleased when I guard what I say, He doesn’t tell me to suppress and deny my feelings.

Instead, He wants me to investigate and untangle them. To get to their root.

Scripture says, “In your anger do not sin” (Eph. 4:26a). In other words, some situations and encounters will make us mad. And the emotion itself isn’t sin, but it can easily, much too easily in fact, lead to sin—especially when we see it as a signal to spring into action. We simply cannot handle the intensity of such an emotion on our own, not if we want to respond with godliness.

We need to learn to pause. To really sit in our anger, to wrestle with ourselves and with God. Most importantly, to find Him—His heart—in our emotional angst.

As we do, we begin to understand, on a soul-deep level, what grieves and provokes His Father’s heart. When my anger stems from selfishness or pride, He’ll show me, lovingly drawing me into His cleansing embrace.

Image of woman staring out a window with quote from post.

Other times, He’ll take me deeper, revealing where our souls connect, where we grieve together. As Dr. Allender, co-author of the Cry of the Soul states, “Righteous anger” —like what burns within me when I see a child abused, the weak oppressed, and a life destroyed— “warns, invites, and wounds for the greater work of redemption. It is full of strength that is neither defensive nor vindictive, and it is permeated by a sadness that is rich in desire and hope. … Righteous anger grieves and struggles with God: ‘What are You doing, God? What am I to understand about You?’”

My deepest angst becomes a call to intimacy, to discover more of my heart and God’s and where they intercept. A call to worship, and then, and only then, to action. Because as Dr. Allender so wisely states, “Our reaction to the pain and injustice of life will only move toward godly anger if we own up to our struggle with God and move toward Him with our questions.”

About a month ago, God walked me through this journey. It’d been a tough weekend where I felt bombarded by evil on every side. Someone using their religious authority to break up a marriage and friend groups. Another using their power to wound a young heart. And still another, a leader, creating ripples of dysfunction that drove numerous people from the church.

Ignited by the injustice, the wrongness, of it all, I immediately became engulfed in spiraling thoughts. Thoughts that, frankly, centered on me. On what I wanted to say or do or how I would “fix” the situation. But then I sensed God’s gentle whisper, “I’m here.” So I paused, right there in my bathroom, to pray.

To see Him and His heart, one that was even more grieved than mine.

There was beauty and comfort in that. In sharing that moment with my Savior, the loving and self-sacrificing lamb, absolutely, but also the sovereign, all-powerful lion of Judah who fights for His beloved. The One who always has a plan, and who will show me, in His timing, the role I am to play.

He is just.

He is righteous.

He is the defender of the vulnerable and oppressed.

I know many of you have experienced inner turmoil over all that is and has been occurring in our world at large and your more personal world. Righteous anger God shares. And we know that one day He will make all things right. Until then, we wrestle with ourselves, with Him, and seek His heart and His will, trusting in and waiting on the God who sees, hears, feels, and acts according to His perfect timing, His perfect love, and His infinite wisdom.

Let’s talk about this! How do you typically respond to feelings of anger? Do you suppress, lash out, or investigate? How might seeking God’s heart in the middle of your anger deepen your understanding and intimacy with Him? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below, because we can all learn from and encourage one another.

I’d love to connect with you on social media! You can find me on Facebook and Instagram, and you can listen to the latest Faith Over Fear podcast episode here:

Why We Lose Ourselves in Relationships—and How to Find Our Way Back – Faith Over Fear

In this opening episode of our new Faith Over Fear series, Relational Peace: Loving Others Without Losing Yourself, Carol sits down with Bible teacher and author Becky Harling for an honest conversation about the subtle ways we lose ourselves inside relationships. Together, they explore how fear, people-pleasing, overfunctioning, and the pressure to keep everyone happy can quietly erode our peace, identity, and emotional health. Becky shares practical wisdom on boundaries, friendship, emotional dependency, and how Jesus modeled deep love without losing Himself in the process. If you’ve ever felt exhausted from carrying everyone else’s emotions or guilty for needing rest, this episode offers biblical encouragement and practical next steps toward healthier, Christ-centered relationships. In This Episode, learn: Why people-pleasing is often fear in disguise The difference between healthy love and self-erasure How Jesus modeled boundaries and emotional health Signs you may be losing yourself in relationships Why Christian women and men especially struggle with overextending What healthy friendships actually look like Practical tools for saying no without guilt How to love others without carrying their emotional weight Scripture References Mark 1:35–38 Proverbs 4:23 John 2:24 Ephesians 2:10 I think I got them all? Key TakeawayHealthy relationships are not built on fear, guilt, or emotional exhaustion. They’re built on truth, grace, wisdom, honesty, and an identity firmly rooted in Christ. Find Becky Harling:  On her website On Facebook On Instagram On Amazon Find Carol McCracken: On her website  On Facebook On Instagram Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
  1. Why We Lose Ourselves in Relationships—and How to Find Our Way Back
  2. Recognizing and Breaking Free from Harmful Relationships
  3. From Bondage to Abundance: One Woman's Testimony About Learning to Live Free
  4. How God Helps Us Get to and Resolve the Root of Our Anxiety
  5. Calm Anxiety and Overwhelm Through Time With Christ

by on

“Na-na-na-na boo-hoo. I’ll be with Jesus before you.”

My mother-in-law sang that little ditty to me in our final phone conversation. She had just accepted hospice care and, knowing I was crying, she tried to make me laugh.

Marion, who I always called Mom, kept me laughing for most of the 45-plus years I knew her. But our relationship didn’t begin so promisingly; she wasn’t sure that I was the right one for her firstborn son to marry.

Jim and I had been close friends at college for two years before we suddenly announced our engagement—with a wedding day planned for six weeks later! This caught his mother off guard since she and I barely knew each other. Further, Marion’s five other children included a three-year-old, so she had the challenging circumstance of “losing” her oldest while still raising her family.

I understood some of those concerns, but I also felt Marion’s disapproval. She had grown up in Chicago in the 1930s and 40s; she loved fashion and all things fine. She attended St. Mary’s College, across the street from Notre Dame, where she met Jim’s father. In contrast, I was from Arkansas, raised by less sophisticated parents who considered Little Rock a big city. Fashion was not my priority and I had little experience with the finer things in life. 

Romans 12:10 became a lifestyle, as Marion and I both grew in our knowledge of God and His ways,  and we learned to honor the other above self. This verse emphasizes the need to prioritize the needs and desires of others over your own, even when it’s difficult or requires sacrifice. My relationship with my mother-in-law was strengthened during the times she came to help out after our three children arrived, and later, just to spend time with our family. Marion loved cooking healthy meals, and I enjoyed letting her take over in the kitchen. And, as I said, she made me laugh.

Having been raised by immigrant parents, Marion had stories to tell, along with all the right accents, expressions, and mannerisms. Further, there were some English words she could never quite pronounce correctly. With the emotional wound of rejection in childhood, her humorous antics might have been a lifelong coping mechanism.

At age 50, Marion was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Her doctor removed a massive tumor, ordered chemotherapy, and gave her six months to live. She endured treatments but also asked the elders at church to pray for her healing, according to James 5:14. She then proceeded to live for another 40 years.

Marion gradually became more of a mentor to me than a mother-in-law. She encouraged me to seek God daily through Bible study and prayer—without forgetting to wait and listen for His guidance.

Mom wanted to be remembered for more than her fun and laughter. She hoped to be remembered as one who was led by the Lord. And I hope to carry on this legacy she left behind for me and so many others. I honored her while she was living and honor her now.

When God puts someone in our life that we do not immediately connect to and love, it is important for us to pray and ask God to show us how to honor the person and sacrificially love them. The transformation happens when we no longer need to make an effort, but develop a genuine affection for the person.

Prayer: God, I ask you to help me love those around me, and to honor them above myself.

About the author: Patti Richter lives in north Georgia with her husband, Jim. She is a freelance journalist and long-time faith columnist at BlueRibbonNews.com with more than four hundred published articles. Patti is the co-author of the award-winning Signs of His Presence—Experiencing God’s Comfort in Times of Suffering. It is the story of Luann Mire, whose godly husband was blindsided by an indictment due to a former employer’s tax fraud. The resulting prison sentence and restitution took the once joyful couple into a long season of suffering as they fought judicial tyranny. Helpless to change her situation, Luann endured a painful examination of her life and found God faithful to His promises.

Check out Patti’s Book:

Voted 2020 Best Memoir by the Advanced Writers and Speakers AssociationLuann Mire faced overwhelming circumstances when her godly husband was blindsided by an indictment due to a former employer’s tax fraud. The resulting prison sentence and restitution took the once joyful couple into a long season of suffering as they fought judicial tyranny.

Helpless to change her situation, Luann endured a painful examination of her life-long faith as she faced evil and distress. Fear, anxiety, and depression worked against her ability to trust in God’s goodness. Meanwhile, she wrestled with powers of darkness she had never before encountered. Luann’s desperate desire for a restored family life kept her looking to God through prayer, Scripture, and every trustworthy scrap of divine encouragement she could find. Yet doubts plagued her as months turned into years, and hope for justice was continually deferred by an ironclad court system. Though trapped in severe circumstances, Luann found God faithful to His promises, especially Psalm 34:18, which says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (NIV). Signs of God’s presence came at timely moments of need―often in astonishing ways.

Why We Lose Ourselves in Relationships—and How to Find Our Way Back – Faith Over Fear

In this opening episode of our new Faith Over Fear series, Relational Peace: Loving Others Without Losing Yourself, Carol sits down with Bible teacher and author Becky Harling for an honest conversation about the subtle ways we lose ourselves inside relationships. Together, they explore how fear, people-pleasing, overfunctioning, and the pressure to keep everyone happy can quietly erode our peace, identity, and emotional health. Becky shares practical wisdom on boundaries, friendship, emotional dependency, and how Jesus modeled deep love without losing Himself in the process. If you’ve ever felt exhausted from carrying everyone else’s emotions or guilty for needing rest, this episode offers biblical encouragement and practical next steps toward healthier, Christ-centered relationships. In This Episode, learn: Why people-pleasing is often fear in disguise The difference between healthy love and self-erasure How Jesus modeled boundaries and emotional health Signs you may be losing yourself in relationships Why Christian women and men especially struggle with overextending What healthy friendships actually look like Practical tools for saying no without guilt How to love others without carrying their emotional weight Scripture References Mark 1:35–38 Proverbs 4:23 John 2:24 Ephesians 2:10 I think I got them all? Key TakeawayHealthy relationships are not built on fear, guilt, or emotional exhaustion. They’re built on truth, grace, wisdom, honesty, and an identity firmly rooted in Christ. Find Becky Harling:  On her website On Facebook On Instagram On Amazon Find Carol McCracken: On her website  On Facebook On Instagram Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
  1. Why We Lose Ourselves in Relationships—and How to Find Our Way Back
  2. Recognizing and Breaking Free from Harmful Relationships
  3. From Bondage to Abundance: One Woman's Testimony About Learning to Live Free
  4. How God Helps Us Get to and Resolve the Root of Our Anxiety
  5. Calm Anxiety and Overwhelm Through Time With Christ

by on

There are days when faith feels unshakable—when the worship is sweet, the Scriptures speak directly to your heart, and the path ahead looks clear. But then there are days … when faith feels like it’s barely hanging on. Fragile. Thin. Quiet. And maybe today is one of those days.

I remember a time when I wrestled with doubt. I had been praying and seeking God’s guidance, but everything felt still and silent. I wondered if my prayers were even heard, and I began to question my faith. During that time, I realized that it’s okay to wrestle with doubt—it doesn’t mean we’ve lost our faith, but rather, we’re being honest with God and ourselves about our struggles. That moment taught me that faith isn’t about never feeling weak; it’s about choosing to trust, even when we’re unsure.

If so, you’re not alone.

Even the strongest believers face seasons when doubt whispers louder than truth and prayers feel like they bounce off the ceiling. But Scripture doesn’t shame us for fragile faith. In fact, it gives us permission to be honest—about our fears, our questions, and our weariness.

Even Heroes of Faith Had Weak Moments

Abraham doubted. Elijah hid in a cave. John the Baptist—who once pointed boldly to Jesus—sent messengers to ask, “Are You the one, or should we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3)

If they struggled, why do we think we shouldn’t?

Faith isn’t about never wavering. It’s about choosing to trust—even when we’re trembling. It’s about leaning in when everything in us wants to run. It’s about holding on to Jesus, not because we’re strong, but because He is.

When All You Can Do Is Stay Close

Sometimes faith is loud and confident. Other times, it’s quiet and persistent. It shows up in whispered prayers. In opening the Bible, even when it feels dry. In wearing faith-based apparel as a simple reminder of who you belong to. In choosing worship when you feel numb. In staying in community, when isolation seems easier.

And sometimes, it simply looks like saying, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)

That prayer counts. That is faith.

God Doesn’t Despise Fragile Faith

The beautiful thing about our God is that He doesn’t require perfect faith—He just invites us to come. He meets us in the valley, in the questions, and even in the silence. Jesus never turned away the weak-hearted. He drew near. He lifted heads. He offered peace.

He still does.

You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to be willing to reach for Him, even with trembling hands.

Faith That Grows in the Cracks

The very places where your faith feels fragile might be where God is doing His deepest work. Growth doesn’t always happen in the mountaintop moments—it often happens in the in-between, the unseen, the waiting.

So if your faith feels fragile today, let this be your reminder: Fragile faith is still faith. And the One you’re holding on to will never let go of you.

Get to Know Zeeva Usman

Zeeva Usman is an experienced content manager at Christian Marketing Experts and a content specialist at Salt of Heaven, where she uses her expertise to create impactful, faith-centered content. When she’s not crafting words, Zeeva finds joy in worshiping and singing for the Lord Jesus, drawing inspiration from her faith to encourage others.

Why We Lose Ourselves in Relationships—and How to Find Our Way Back – Faith Over Fear

In this opening episode of our new Faith Over Fear series, Relational Peace: Loving Others Without Losing Yourself, Carol sits down with Bible teacher and author Becky Harling for an honest conversation about the subtle ways we lose ourselves inside relationships. Together, they explore how fear, people-pleasing, overfunctioning, and the pressure to keep everyone happy can quietly erode our peace, identity, and emotional health. Becky shares practical wisdom on boundaries, friendship, emotional dependency, and how Jesus modeled deep love without losing Himself in the process. If you’ve ever felt exhausted from carrying everyone else’s emotions or guilty for needing rest, this episode offers biblical encouragement and practical next steps toward healthier, Christ-centered relationships. In This Episode, learn: Why people-pleasing is often fear in disguise The difference between healthy love and self-erasure How Jesus modeled boundaries and emotional health Signs you may be losing yourself in relationships Why Christian women and men especially struggle with overextending What healthy friendships actually look like Practical tools for saying no without guilt How to love others without carrying their emotional weight Scripture References Mark 1:35–38 Proverbs 4:23 John 2:24 Ephesians 2:10 I think I got them all? Key TakeawayHealthy relationships are not built on fear, guilt, or emotional exhaustion. They’re built on truth, grace, wisdom, honesty, and an identity firmly rooted in Christ. Find Becky Harling:  On her website On Facebook On Instagram On Amazon Find Carol McCracken: On her website  On Facebook On Instagram Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
  1. Why We Lose Ourselves in Relationships—and How to Find Our Way Back
  2. Recognizing and Breaking Free from Harmful Relationships
  3. From Bondage to Abundance: One Woman's Testimony About Learning to Live Free
  4. How God Helps Us Get to and Resolve the Root of Our Anxiety
  5. Calm Anxiety and Overwhelm Through Time With Christ

by on

(This first published on Crosswalk.com and in the Crosswalk Devotional, adapted below.)

Many of us have heard people talk about the Lord’s complete forgiveness and unconditional love but can expect Him to withhold both when we mess up. Most often, this stems from times in which others responded to our mistakes with some degree of emotional distance. I can relate. For decades, I struggled to fully receive God’s grace, and sometimes still do. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons I find the words recorded in Psalm 103:8 so beautiful.

It reads:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love (NIV).

Written by David, ancient Israel’s second king, this verse reiterates the way God revealed Himself to a man named Moses around four hundred years prior.

This occurred shortly after the Lord’s newly liberated people rebelled against Him to worship idols. Following, God told Moses that He wouldn’t accompany him and the Hebrews into the new land He’d promised them. But then He appeared to relent and in Exodus 33:15 stated, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 

Perhaps confused, or simply wanting to experience more of the God with whom he’d already come to converse with as a friend (Ex. 33:11), Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” One could phrase this as, “Reveal the essence of who You are.” God did, declaring Himself compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness. 

David likely knew how the Lord described Himself to Moses and how consistently He lived out those traits with the often faithless and rebellious Hebrew people. In today’s verse, He praised God for those same qualities. While Scripture doesn’t reveal David’s circumstances when he wrote Psalm 103, we do know from other passages that He landed in numerous situations that plunged him into despair and overwhelming fear. We also know that God faithfully cared for, protected, and defended David throughout His life. And, the Lord showed David grace when he failed as a father, a king, and chief commander over the Israelite army.    

In other words, David hadn’t simply learned of the Lord’s love, mercy and compassion from Scripture. He’d experienced those same traits when he’d desperately needed them. Likely reflecting on who God was and all He’d done, David began his prose with a praise that arose from his inmost being, the deepest and truest part of him. He then recounted numerous blessings God provided—forgiveness for even the worst of sins, emotional and physical healing, restoration of seemingly hopeless lives, provision, vitality, justice for the oppressed, and guidance for those who find themselves wandering about in desert places.

In verse 4, we read that the God who “redeems [our] life from the pit” also “crowns [us] with love and compassion.” One might phrase this as, “He rescues us in our weakest and most helpless state and enveloped us in grace.” When the devil tries to bury me in toxic shame, I’m reminded that God’s favor toward us stems from His goodness alone, and not from anything we have or haven’t done. 

Because while He is the Almighty Creator of all that exists and the One who holds all authority in His powerful hands, that wasn’t how He most defined Himself to Moses, and therefore, to us. When we reflect upon who He is at His core, He doesn’t want us to think of His anger. Instead, He wants us to recognize, intellectually and from personal experience, that He is first and foremost a God of unfathomable love and grace.

Expanding on this, David then drew an analogy between the Lord and caring parents (Psalm 103:13). Our heavenly Father views us with more tenderness than an attentive mother with an over-tired two-year-old and a patient dad with an emotionally dysregulated middle schooler. Because, as verse 14 states, “he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust” (NIV). In other words, He remains cognizant of our humanity. 

The Lord recognizes how much we long to please Him and how grieved we feel when we mess up. He sees our ongoing struggle against sin and the wounded places in our souls that cause us to react in fear and self-protection. And while He’s given us everything, in Christ and Scripture, to stand firm, whatever we face, He also understands how easily we become deceived. 

He has compassion for who we truly are, in all our weaknesses and sins, and responds to our greatest failures with mercy and forgiveness, rather than anger and condemnation. Living in that reality helps us rise again when we fall, with our gaze fixed not on our past nor our shame but on the Savior who proved every word of today’s verse true when He died on the cross to quite literally redeem our lives from the pit of hell (verse 4).

Why We Lose Ourselves in Relationships—and How to Find Our Way Back – Faith Over Fear

In this opening episode of our new Faith Over Fear series, Relational Peace: Loving Others Without Losing Yourself, Carol sits down with Bible teacher and author Becky Harling for an honest conversation about the subtle ways we lose ourselves inside relationships. Together, they explore how fear, people-pleasing, overfunctioning, and the pressure to keep everyone happy can quietly erode our peace, identity, and emotional health. Becky shares practical wisdom on boundaries, friendship, emotional dependency, and how Jesus modeled deep love without losing Himself in the process. If you’ve ever felt exhausted from carrying everyone else’s emotions or guilty for needing rest, this episode offers biblical encouragement and practical next steps toward healthier, Christ-centered relationships. In This Episode, learn: Why people-pleasing is often fear in disguise The difference between healthy love and self-erasure How Jesus modeled boundaries and emotional health Signs you may be losing yourself in relationships Why Christian women and men especially struggle with overextending What healthy friendships actually look like Practical tools for saying no without guilt How to love others without carrying their emotional weight Scripture References Mark 1:35–38 Proverbs 4:23 John 2:24 Ephesians 2:10 I think I got them all? Key TakeawayHealthy relationships are not built on fear, guilt, or emotional exhaustion. They’re built on truth, grace, wisdom, honesty, and an identity firmly rooted in Christ. Find Becky Harling:  On her website On Facebook On Instagram On Amazon Find Carol McCracken: On her website  On Facebook On Instagram Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
  1. Why We Lose Ourselves in Relationships—and How to Find Our Way Back
  2. Recognizing and Breaking Free from Harmful Relationships
  3. From Bondage to Abundance: One Woman's Testimony About Learning to Live Free
  4. How God Helps Us Get to and Resolve the Root of Our Anxiety
  5. Calm Anxiety and Overwhelm Through Time With Christ