How knowing God by Name Helps quiet anxiety and fear – Guest post by Grace Fox

by Jennifer Slattery on January 8, 2026January 7, 2026

One of my dear friends was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Another was released from the hospital after a five-week stay for encephalitis. A third battles a malignant brain tumor. And the list goes on.

My human bent tends to feel anxious about what the future holds for these women. How will they and their families cope with the fear giant that comes with suffering and uncertainty?

My human bent fears for my own family, too, but this giant bears the name “financial insecurity.” A gallon of milk costs more than five dollars where we live. Filling a cart with groceries nearly requires a second mortgage—if you’re able to afford a home, that is.

My kids are grown now with children of their own, and it’s easy for my Mama Bear heart to worry. What does the economic future hold? How will my kids make ends meet if prices continue to soar?

Perhaps a greater cause for anxiety is our culture’s moral decline. I have fourteen grandchildren, and I fear society’s influence on their souls. When the time comes for them to leave home, will they remain true to Jesus and His values, or will they conform to the world’s standards instead?

The fear giant looms large for many people. Perhaps you can relate. Maybe it has robbed you of a good night’s sleep, tied your stomach in knots, and made your head throb and your muscles ache. If so, you are not alone.

Knowing God by name helps us fight fear

When the fear giant threatened to consume the population during the pandemic, I dug into Scripture to find verses that showed me how to fight it. That’s when I discovered a weapon that’s proven life-changing. That is—understanding and applying the power of God’s names.

In Old Testament times, God manifested His nature through His names. Like a diamond’s facets, each name reflects a particular aspect of His character so we can better understand who He is. The more complete our understanding of His character, the better able we are to trust Him. Learning to trust God more fully gives us courage to face the fear giant.

Here are three of God’s Hebrew names to remember when the fear giant casts its shadow over you:

El Elyon – “Most High God”

This name declares God to be ultimate in supremacy, sovereignty, and authority. He is the Creator of heaven and earth; therefore, everything belongs to Him and He has the right to do with it as He deems best. He is the boss, and He always has the final say.

When the fear giant struts toward us, let’s remain steadfast, grounded in the truth that God is in control of every detail of our lives. What He says will happen, happens. Because of who He is, He is the final authority. Nothing stops Him from fulfilling His promises and purposes, and those purposes are always good.

Take that, fear giant!

Yahweh Rohi – “the LORD is my Shepherd”

This name reveals God as the almighty Creator who cares for us as a shepherd cares tenderly for his lambs. But there’s more. For instance, the verb “is” denotes God as present-tense. He’s with us every moment of every day to protect, comfort, and guide. The word “my” infers an intimate relationship. We belong to the Shepherd because He bought us with the price of His own blood, and we depend on Him.

When I feel afraid, I envision God cradling me in His arms as Scripture describes:

“…He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart....” (Isaiah 40:11 NIV)

The fear giant can’t touch me when God holds me tight. Be gone, fear giant!

Yahweh Yireh – “the LORD will provide”

This name means more than the obvious. God not only meets our needs, but He sees in advance what those needs will be and then meets them at precisely the right time. He perceives our thoughts and feelings about those needs and enters our experience as He provides for them.

God’s power over our needed provisions stretches beyond the material. He also supplies wisdom, comfort, guidance, discernment, peace, joy, and perseverance. The apostle Paul wrote,

"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

Let’s recall this promise when the fear of not having enough intimidates us, and let’s find courage in knowing God is the infinite source of whatever we lack.

Get lost, fear giant!

Scripture mentions fear more than 350 times because God knows it’s a big deal for us, but He also gave us the key to victory over it. Understanding His nature as revealed through His names and then choosing to live from the truth transforms us from cowardly to courageous. He’s given us a powerful weapon, so let’s pick it up and use it to topple the fear giant.

If this post encouraged you, you’ll enjoy Jennifer’s conversation with Grace in this Faith Over Fear podcast episode titled, “Knowing God by Name: Finding Peace When Fear Feels Overwhelming”.

Get to Know Grace Fox:

Grace has written 15 books and published hundreds of articles in magazines including “Focus on the Family,” “Insights,” and “Today’s Christian Woman.” She’s a regular contributor to Guideposts’ annual “Mornings With Jesus” and a member of the First 5 writing team (P31 Ministries). Her book, “Finding Hope in Crisis: Devotions for Calm in Chaos” won the Golden Scroll “Devotional Book of the Year” award in 2021. “Keeping Hope Alive: Devotions for Strength in the Storm” won the same award in 2022.

Fox speaks at women’s events worldwide and is the national co-director of International Messengers Canada, an interdenominational ministry that offers creative short-term and career opportunities in more than 30 countries. She and her husband married in 1982 and celebrate three grown children and fourteen grandchildren. They live full-time on a sailboat near Vancouver, British Columbia.

Check Out Her Latest Release, Names of God: Knowing Peace: Devotional Study with Video Access (Names of God Devotional Studies):

Peace. The very word evokes images of serene landscapes and quiet stillness. In today’s chaotic world, peace is a valuable commodity. The Bible has a lot to say about peace, claiming that God himself is the ultimate source. In this follow-up to Names of God: Living Unafraid, Grace Fox reflects on how the following names of God point to the peace our souls so desperately crave:

Yahweh Shalom―The Lord Is Peace
Abba―Father
El Shaddai―God Almighty
El Roi―The God Who Sees Me
Yahweh Ori―The Lord Is My Light
Yahweh Nissi―The Lord Is My Banner
Immanuel―God with Us

Knowing Peace uses examples from Scripture and compelling real-life stories to illustrate how these names can bring inner peace amid life’s storms. Each session includes a guided prayer, reflection questions, and a video link providing additional insights from Grace. Perfect for individual or group study, this new addition to the Names of God series will encourage and inspire readers to draw near to God and receive his peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7).

Buy it HERE.

How to Trust God When You Need a Miracle – Faith Over Fear

When we experience intense pain and hardship, our view of God can shrink. When circumstances overwhelm us, prayers seem unanswered and our suffering endures for any length of time, we may fear God isn't actually big enough to handle what we’re facing, or loving enough to do something about it. Singer, songwriter and author Tim Timmons, whose story is shared in MercyMe's Imagine 2, knows what it means to live with those types of questions. After receiving an incurable cancer diagnosis and being given five years to live more than two decades ago, Tim has learned to bring his grief, questions and uncertainty honestly to God. In this episode, Tim and Jennifer discuss what it looks like to trust a God who is bigger than our understanding and meet Him within the tension of pain and hope. They explore the intimacy that can develop through honest wrestling, why acknowledging grief doesn’t diminish faith and how shifting from “working for God” to joining Him can change the way we approach each day. Wherever life feels confusing or painfully unresolved, God remains present, attentive and at work. Scripture referenced: Genesis 32:22–32; Matthew 5:44; Matthew 16:24–25; Matthew 22:37–39; Mark 12:30–31; John 5:17; Romans 8:28; Malachi 1:6–14 Resource Referenced: Waking Up Again: A Journey of Grief & Gratitude Connect with Tim Timmons: On his website On Instagram On Facebook Find Jennifer Slattery: On her website Instagram Facebook Amazon Subscribe to her free newsletter Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Where are you most apt to discount God

by Jennifer Slattery on September 19, 2024September 18, 2024

(Taken and adapted from a Your Daily Bible Verse podcast episode.)

When faced with a challenge, which way do you most tend to lean. Do you honestly acknowledge the problem and your emotions but then sift your them through everything you know about God, saying, “Yes, this challenge seems insurmountable and beyond me and my resources or strength, but Almighty, all-powerful God is bigger.

Or do you lean the other way? Do you tend to add faith-disclaimers? Do you find yourself, in essence, saying, “Yes, God is all-knowing, all-powerful, faithful, always with me–He retains full control over every situation … except this one. This problem right here, it’s just too much.”?

We see examples of both in Numbers 13. If you spend much time reading Old Testament Scripture, you may be familiar with this period in ancient Israel’s history. Through Moses, the man God chose to liberate His people, He freed them from 400 years of slavery to the nation of Egypt–through a series of miraculous, unforgettable and irrefutable signs, I might add. He used their journey to the Promised Land to reveal His nature and His heart, and ultimately, lead them to Himself..

Prior to their entrance into their new land, Moses sent twelve spies to scout out the area so they could report on the area and its people. After 40 days, the men returned with evidence of the land’s abundance.

Had they focused on the bounty they carried and the power, presence, and promises of God , they could’ve spent the rest of their lives enjoying the peace and provisions of God rather than wondering about the desert for 40 years. Had they honestly expressed their concerns to Him, I’m certain He would’ve provided the assurance they needed. Then, again, they could’ve avoided a long, tiring four-decade wilderness trek.

Unfortunately, however, they focused entirely on the challenge ahead, refusing to hear truth, while forgetting all of the ways God had faithfully protected and provided for them.

In short, they amplified their problems and minimized their God. This caused them and nearly the entire camp–all 600,000 plus of them, to become paralyzed in fear.

Caleb, however, focused on reality. As one of the spies who also had seen the fortified cities throughout Canaan and all the people–some quite large and militant, living within their walls, he understood precisely what challenges lay ahead of them. He probably knew Amalekites Hittites, Jebusites Amorites and Canaanites wouldn’t give up their territory without a fight. He likely realized they had better trained and equipped soldiers than a nation of former slaves. But He also knew that all the armies in the world combined times ten proved no match for Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of heaven’s armies.

That was the “Nevertheless” he focused on. “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it,” he said.

Unfortunately, the people refused to listen to him and therefore forfeited the blessing God had planned on giving them.

I wonder, how often do we do the same. How often do we forfeit blessings God wants to give us–out of fears we feed through a misplaced focus?

We will always have a “nevertheless” or “Yes, but.” We get to choose what we elevate–our problems and the fear they evoke, or our fearless God.

I get this isn’t easy. To stand firm on faith, we’ll probably need to redirect our thoughts a thousand times, maybe even a thousand times each day. But each time we do, our faith grows a little stronger, simultaneously starving our fears.

Catch more of Moses and the Israelite’s journey in the Your Daily Bible Verse series titled Moses: From Fearful to Faithful. Find the latest episode HERE. Catch the Your Daily Bible Verse GodTube channel HERE.

How to Trust God When You Need a Miracle – Faith Over Fear

When God Calls Your Name – Guest Post by Kelly Hall

by Jennifer Slattery on January 18, 2024January 17, 2024

When God Calls Your Name

by Kelly Hall

Isaiah 43:1 on a teal graphic with plant designs.

Bundled against the freezing Midwest dreariness, I burst into my house and without removing a single item of wintry protection, collapsed into the couch. The wet, snowy trail I left behind normally would have prompted a quick flurry of activity to dry and protect the hardwood floors, but today I barely noticed.

I’d moved halfway across the country with my four young children so our three daughters, born with profound hearing loss, could undergo surgery to receive cochlear implants and attend a school where they’d be trained to speak. My husband, a fighter pilot in the Air Force, had managed to secure a one-year assignment about six hours away so he could join us on weekends.

Although we were starting to see great benefits from the school, I was overwhelmed with the daily demands of parenting and facilitating communication between our four “littles.” But what really surprised me was the pain of loneliness. Adjusting to an unfamiliar city without the nearby support of family, friends, military community or church home was harder than I expected.

I poured out my heart to God. “Thank you for leading us to a place where our girls are finally getting the help they need. I’m grateful for Your presence and care. But Lord, I’d really like to talk to a physical person. Please send someone who can understand, someone who won’t feel burdened by our story or feel they have to travel across the country to help.”

After skimming through a mental list of names, I gave up and told the Lord, “If you want someone to call me, You’ll have to figure it out.” As I prepared to drive to a nearby bakery for some comfort food, my phone rang. A woman from a church we’d recently visited explained the reason for her call, “For three days God’s whispered your name, telling me to call you, but I kept putting Him off because I didn’t know how to help. But today, when He started shouting your name, I could no longer ignore Him.”

This dear older woman had four grown children, three of whom were also deaf. Her husband had been in the military and they had moved to this same city for the same reasons we had. God sent me a precious new friend who could understand our complicated story. The wisdom, insight, prayers, and laughter that flowed through the phone were a healing balm to my heart.

After I hung up, I fell to my knees stunned by this extravagant outpouring of God’s intimate care. “Lord, I can’t believe You love me enough to arrange a phone call from just the right person at just the right time. You started orchestrating it three days earlier because You knew precisely how long it would take!”

My friend never could have imagined how her one simple act of obedience would become my favorite memory of God’s faithfulness and love.

The Bible reminds us when the overwhelm of life makes us feel isolated, we don’t have to be afraid for the Lord knows our names. The One who created us, who formed us, who redeemed us, is deeply invested in our stories (Isaiah 43:1). His fingerprints are on our very souls (Psalm 139:14). Our names are inscribed on His hands and on His heart (Isaiah 49:16). Before a word is on our tongue, the Lord knows (Psalm 139:4). Before our needs arise, He has positioned the perfect provisions (Matthew 6:8).

What a comfort to know our God is not only immensely powerful, but also intensely personal.

About the author: Kelly Hall is a speaker, author, Bible teacher, and podcaster. Her Unshakable Hope Podcast: where Real Life intersects Redeeming Love, brings Biblical hope to the weary and highlights the unchanging faithfulness and love of God.

Her Bible study, Courageous Faith, is framed around Proverbs
3:5-6 and expands on the faith lessons learned in her personal journey of raising four children, three with special needs, in the constantly challenging world of Air Force military life. She enjoys the beauty of the Sonoran Desert with her husband, two adult daughters, and a super smart service dog, Skylar.

How to Trust God When You Need a Miracle – Faith Over Fear

Resting in God Our Rock When Our Enemies Attack

by Jennifer Slattery on December 28, 2023December 27, 2023

Note: This first published on January 15, 2020In 2006, my husband stepped into an ugly power struggle that nearly cost him his job. In the span of a year, he’d changed employment three times, landing, precariously, at the company he’d started with, but in a different location and with a pay cut and demotion. The organization he initially quit, with zero notice. Therefore, though my husband’s former boss, through God’s grace, invited him back, Steve’s position felt shaky at best. Like he was one mistake away from unemployment.

Adding to this mess of uncertainty was the fact that my husband was coming in both equal and under the current shop director. A man accustomed to little oversight, and whom we soon discovered was behaving unethically in countless ways. He was allowing employees to “steal” time, was misreporting injuries, misusing his company credit card in outlandish and grievous ways, and gave those with influence special privileges. Worse, he pressured my husband to comply with his dishonest tactics.

Though anxious, my husband refused, knowing, however his boss responded, whatever occurred, his allegiance was to Christ and Christ alone. He made the right hard choice. The result: the truth eventually came out, his boss and numerous managers were fired and walked off the property, while my husband was promoted.

We rejoiced at God’s goodness and grace, celebrating the fact that righteousness and justice had prevailed. Soon, however, our praise turned to desperate prayers for God’s intervention and protection as evil, power-hungry men used to getting their way slandered and attacked him.

One man in particular, the union rep, determined to make it his mission to get my husband fired. Every day, he bombarded my husband with accusations and demands in an attempt to wear him down. When this didn’t work, he turned to the Chief Executive Officer telling him how “terrible” my husband was. Once sent, he printed and prominently displayed the letter he wrote, in which he’d twisted everything my husband had or hadn’t done in an effort to make him look bad.

While walking down the hallway one morning, my husband happened to see this letter, tacked on one of the union bulletin boards. He felt attacked and deeply fatigued. Not only had his continual decision to make the right hard choice not produced positive results, but it’d landed him in a mess. One that felt never-ending and in fact appeared to be gaining momentum.

With every interaction, my anxiety climbed. What if this man succeeded and Steve’s company let him go? Where would he work? How would we pay our bills? Our mortgage? What if we lost our home?

Initially, our world felt out of control. Our security only as steady, as sure, as my husband’s next paycheck. But then we remembered our sure foundation, the immovable rock upon which we stood.

Psalm 18:1-2 says, “I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliver.”

This was written by ancient Israel’s second king, a mighty warrior who’d once defeated a tyrannical giant without displaying a hint of fear. But this warrior found strength not in himself and his military prowess, but instead in His sovereign, all-powerful, ever-present God. He recognized how insufficient, how vulnerable, he was apart from God, but more so, how protected, untouchable, he was when raised upon the crags of God’s love.

Towering rocks or bluffs dotted the landscape of ancient Palestine, providing places of refuge, of protection, for all who scampered upon them. These elevated geological edifices were difficult to reach and offered shelter within their caverns. Therefore, they became places of safety in times of danger.

Fortresses offered similar protection. The people built heavily-fortified cities high upon a cliff, where they could see enemies approach for miles. Then, they erected stone towers at the highest point in the city.

Can you sense the layers of protection revealed in the Psalm 18 passage? In Christ, we stand high upon an immovable rock of power and grace, further hidden within the clefts of His love. His strength is greater than anything or anyone that comes against us. We are triply protected within His steadfast embrace. He is our sure and constant deliverer, the rock beneath our feet, and the fortress surrounding us.

In 2006, as attacks continued to barrage my husband and our family, we hid ourselves deeply in God. When anxiety arose, we reminded ourselves of where our true security lay, and all we knew to be true about God. He was faithful, loving and attentive—unconquerable. He was our ever-present provider, the only One with the power to sustain us.

That year, He proved Himself to be all those things and more. I’m confident He’ll do the same for you. Whatever you’re facing, whatever is coming against you, rest in this: God’s got you. He’s standing beside you, within you, and is camped around you. He is your refuge, your rock, and your strong, fortified tower.

You don’t have to be strong or know all the answers—that secret that will somehow whisk you to safety—because in Christ, you’re already safe.

Let’s talk about this! When has God proven Himself to be your rock and your fortress? How might remembering this time help you when future problems hit?

If you’re facing a difficult, uncertain period, how might it help to shift your thoughts off your ever-changing circumstances and onto your immovable Savior?

Trusting God's Unusual Instructions (Joshua 6:20) – Your Daily Bible Verse

Today's Bible Verse: "So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city." – Joshua 6:20 What do you do when God gives you instructions that don't make sense? Joshua 6:20 reminds us that trusting God sometimes means following an unusual path and obeying even when we don't understand how His plan will work. The Israelites didn't conquer Jericho through their own strength or strategy—they trusted God's instructions, acted in faith, and witnessed His power. Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to The Good Word, LifeAudio’s free weekly newsletter. Sign up at LifeAudio.com/thegoodword “Want to listen without ads? Become a BibleStudyTools.com PLUS Member today: https://www.biblestudytools.com/subscribe/ Meet Today’s Host: Reverend Jessica Van Roekel 🎙️ Listen to more daily devotionals with Jessica at Your Daily Bible Verse on LifeAudio Rev. Jessica Van Roekel is a passionate Christian speaker, author, and worship pastor who shares how God brings beauty from brokenness. Her message centers on God’s power to rescue, restore, and renew, even after seasons of rejection or loss. She is the author of Reframing Rejection: How Looking Through a Different Lens Changes Everything, a guide to seeing God’s purpose in life’s disappointments. Jessica and her husband are raising a vibrant family, with two adult daughters, a college-aged son, and a high school daughter. You can explore her teachings, devotionals, and resources at WelcomeGrace.com. Let Scripture shape your heart today—begin with the Bible Verse of the Day on Biblestudytools.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Conquering Our Fear of Weakness

by Jennifer Slattery on August 31, 2023August 30, 2023

Note: This first published on Feburary 27, 2020.

I don’t like to appear weak or needy. In fact, I will go to great lengths to avoid this and to portray an image of strength, even in the face of weakness. I suspect some of this comes from my slightly stubborn and determined personality. But honestly, most of my insecurities stem from fear and pride. I’m afraid my weaknesses might somehow disqualify me from some future opportunity and might cause others to lose their respect for me.

I didn’t realize I had a fear of weakness until I became physically weak. Some of you know my story—how I grew sick in 2011. And while I’m so much better than I was, I’m still far from the athlete I once considered myself to be. Sometimes, oftentimes, actually, I’m afraid to admit why: I have fibromyalgia, though I hide my symptoms well. I’ve learned to smile through the pain and shake off the fatigue—until I come home. There, nestled in the security of my husband’s love, my true and often hurting self emerges.

Like I indicated, my insecurities stem from a fear of missing out. Of being labeled by my weaknesses rather than my strengths. Of being discounted before I even try. Of having to fight not just my inherent limitations, but other people’s false perceptions as well. In short, my fears stem from a failure to rest in God’s sovereignty and grace.

One hot, summer afternoon, I sensed God’s nudge to share how He’d met me in my struggle—how He became my strength during a time of weakness. But out of fear and shame, I remained quiet. As I explained to God why—all I feared might happen should I step out from behind my carefully erected veneer, He reminded me of a faith-bolstering truth.

He’d called me. Long before I took my first breath, committed my first sin, ran my first triathlon, or acquired my first illness. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV). This means God has a plan for me and my life, a wonderful, eternally significant plan. That plan absolutely must include my current condition, because He set His plan into motion before my diagnosis. What’s more, Psalm 139:16 tells me that every day of my life was recorded in God’s book before a single one came to pass.

But the original Hebrew goes deeper. It says, in essence, “All the days fashioned, or molded into form, for me …” Combined with Ephesians 2:10, this creates an image of a patient, loving, intentional craftsman molding a pliable, not yet perfected lump of clay into His masterpiece. The pushing, squeezing, and molding hurts, absolutely. But never without purpose. Never without hope.

My condition cannot limit the call God’s placed on my life. It may, in fact, reveal that call more clearly. Though I don’t believe He gave me fibromyalgia, He can and will use it to reveal the gospel. As I lean on Him, the only One able to bring strength from my weakness, I proclaim a God bigger than everything hard, broken, tarnished, and incomplete in this world. And as I long for restoration and health, He lifts my heart to thoughts of eternity where He’ll one day make all things right. Where there will be no more pain, no more sickness, no weakness or sin. Nothing but light and life and love as we, God’s children, stand in the presence of the One who is light and love.

So in the meantime, I serve, honestly, faithfully, and authentically, focusing not on how others perceive me but rather how I reveal my God.

Fear of weakness, at its root, is an idolatry problem. It stems from a failure to lose myself completely in my Lord, the One who gave Himself completely for me. I conquer this fear not through fighting for strength but rather choosing surrender. Choosing to lose myself in a battle greater than me.

Let’s talk about this! When has your weakness caused you to rely on God and therefore turned to a strength? When has your strength resulted in self-reliance and therefore turned to a weakness?

Connect with Jennifer Slattery on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, join her private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group, listen to the first two episodes of her Faith Over Fear podcast HERE and find her free Bible reading plan HERE.

Additional resources:

Moving Past Self-Sufficiency, video presentation from Wholly Loved’s Becoming His Princess Bible study.

Don’t Fear Weakness by Bear Grylls

Weakness is an Invitation From God by Sarah Walton

Trusting God's Unusual Instructions (Joshua 6:20) – Your Daily Bible Verse

Not My Nature Guest Post by Terri Gillespie

by Jennifer Slattery on May 4, 2023May 4, 2023

There are those folks who are so confident in the LORD that no matter what happens, they know they will be alright. I have met a few of these souls and I’m both awed and convicted by their testimonies.

Why? Because I am not one of those blessed souls. At least, not by nature. When I’m caught off-guard by a trial or tribulation or testing, my nature is to fear. That default reaction of fear is caused from experiences in my past—scary things that happened to me and others.

If a problem arises, my nature is to seek ways to solve it myself rather than go to the LORD first. That first inclination stems from being so long accustomed to fending for myself.

When God asks me to do something, my nature is to either say that I can’t, or sadly, that I won’t. Or I attempt the request on my own without His guidance. That is my nature.

But that is not the truth of who I am as a child of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And it is not where I am confined to remain.

“Now what do you think? A man had two sons, and he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go work in the vineyard today.’

The son answered, ‘I won’t,’ but afterward he had a change of heart and went.

The man went to the second son and said the same thing. But he answered, ‘I will, sir,’ And didn’t go.

‘Which of the two did the will of the father?”

“The first,” they [the ruling priests and elders] said.

Matthew 21:28-31 TLV*

In this parable, Jesus recognizes our nature. Especially those of us with a past—sinful and broken. The first son’s response when asked to work in the vineyard, was, “No way.” But then later, he rethinks that default response and does what his father asks of him.

So, I have a choice. I can follow my nature, or I can stop, turn around and follow the truth. The truth that The Creator of the Universe, who went out of His way to make me His child by sacrificing His Son, loves me.

And when He asks me to trust Him that no matter what comes my way, I am still loved. That means, I must still act like His kid—not some wild person who follows their fears and emotions.

It’s a no brainer, right? Yet still I struggle.

That’s why I read and meditate and post passages of faith and truth that remind me each day, to be confident in this mighty, loving God who knows me. So that I can discern the difference between my nature’s lie and His truth. I know that even a mustard seed of faith and trust can move that mountain of fear or anger or anything that seeks to separate me from His love through Messiah Yeshua.

If my journey helps others, then I am doubly blessed.

Heavenly Father, my nature may say, “no,” but my nature lies. I chose to follow Your truth. Even if it takes me a while to get there. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

This article originally posted on Arise Daily Devotions, owned by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

Join the conversation: What are some ways you hold tight to faith when you feel afraid?

About the author:

Award-winning author and beloved speaker Terri Gillespie writes stories of faith and redemption to nurture souls. Her novels, devotionals, and blogs have drawn readers to hunger for a deeper relationship with their Heavenly Father, and His Son Jesus. Her newest novel, Sweet Rivalry, releases later this year.

Her latest release: Sweet Rivalry

Just an ordinary morning for Sarah Sweeting—watching her favorite baking show, Cupcake Rivalry, getting ready for work at her Granny’s small-town bakery. All that changes when Sarah spots a contestant who looks like her, sounds like her, moves like her.

Was this her twin sister? The twin her mother ran away with twenty years ago? Were hers and Granny’s prayers finally being answered?

When Granny confirms Sarah’s shocking discovery, Granny suffers a heart attack.

Raven Souwer’s morning began at a frenzied pace—incessantly ringing phones and a Beverly Hills’ bakery full of customers. All because everyone wants to catch a glimpse of the Cupcake Rivalry contestants—Raven and her best friend, Will Durning.

But a phone call from an excited woman who claims to be Raven’s long-lost sister—a sister Raven has no memory of—informs Raven that a grandmother she never knew was in the hospital.

The call changes the course of Raven’s life and brings up the pain she thought she’d overcome.

Will Sarah and Raven finally be united, or will other rivalries separate them again?

*Scripture taken from The Tree of Life Version, Copyright © 2023 Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society | DBA: Tree of Life Bible Society is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization. All rights reserved.

How to Trust God When You Need a Miracle – Faith Over Fear

Overcomers in Christ

by Jennifer Slattery on June 2, 2022June 1, 2022

(The following is an adapted transcript from the Your Daily Bible Verse podcast, which aired on November 3rd, 2021.)

Jesus didn’t say our would wouldn’t hurt. He didn’t promise to shield us from disappointment and struggle, but He did assure us He’d give us the strength to remain standing, to keep stepping, and ultimately, to overcome.

“I have told you these things,” He said, in John 16:33, indicating everything He discussed in the chapters prior, “so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Some translations say, “In this world you will have tribulation,” which would make us think of external problems like storms, wars, persecution, and sickness. Jesus certainly told us to expect all of those things. The word He used in this instance, however, pointed to the internal pressure one experiences outward hardships leave them feeling trapped without options or means of escape.

It’s like He was saying, “My dear friends whom I love, life is going to become hard, and you will be afraid.”

This reminds me of His earlier statement in John 14:1 and 27 when He told the disciples not to let their hearts be troubled, adding, the second time, “and do not be afraid.”

When we read those words, we might feel a surge of guilt or self-condemnation, assuming Christ becomes upset we feel afraid. But I view His statements as gentle encouragement; an invitation to seek Him and His strength.

“Do not LET your hearts be troubled,” He said, as if He knew this was going to be a fight. Adding in verse 27, for emphasis, and do not be afraid.

“Take courage,” he urged, which, based on the original Greek, means to strengthen oneself from within, or better yet, to allow God to strengthen us.

That is how we battle our fears. By believing in, trust in and rely on, Christ. As we intentionally reflect on who He is, what He’s done, and all He’s promised and evaluate our fears in light of all we know is true, our faith grows.

And so He invites us to believe, in an ever deepening way, in Him.

Why?

Because He overcame the world.

Notice, He didn’t say, because “I might overcome” or even “I’m going to overcome” but rather, “I’ve already overcome.” He let His disciples know, before the resurrection, that the victory was already won. He had already overcome. His disciples, His beloved friends who belonged to Him, had already overcome as well. And just as surely as their victory had been already been won, in Christ, ours has also.

Quote from post on white background with plant border. — Photo by Josh Calabrese on Unsplash

As 18th century Bible scholar John Ellicott wrote, “The enemies they fear, the world in which they have tribulation, are already captives following in the Conqueror’s train. They themselves have pledges of victory in and through His victory.”

Life will feel hard at times. Frightening. Jesus didn’t deny that, nor did He condemn His disciples for the emotional struggle they’d soon experience. As He was speaking to them, laying out all that would soon happen, not once did He chastise them for their sorrow and fear. Instead, He acknowledged it, validated it, but then He spoke His truth, peace, and love into them.

He invited them let their fears drive them deeper in their relationship with Him. That was how they’d “take heart” or have courage, as some translations phrase it.

And in this, we see His tender heart to comfort and encourage us. To love us, because He knows it’s His love, not His anger or judgment, that has the power to cast out all fear.

What is one truth regarding Christ-His character, power, or promises-you can focus on the next time you feel afraid?

Speaking of enduring hard circumstances, make sure to listen to the latest Faith Over Fear podcast episode to hear how God helped Wholly Loved’s Kelly Campbell hold tight to hope when she began slipping into despair.

How to Trust God When You Need a Miracle – Faith Over Fear

Identity Theft––Combating the Fear of Insignificance: Guest Post

by Jennifer Slattery on June 18, 2020November 1, 2021

Can you imagine the confidence and impact we’d have, the “offense” we’d avoid, the ministries we’d launch and opportunities we’d embrace, if we learned to live in who we really are? Who God says we are? And if we fully grew in to all He created us to be?

I’m pretty sure we all struggle in this area. I have moments of living fully anchored in Christ and others where I give other people’s voice and opinions way too much weight. Perhaps you can relate? My guest today, Caroline Powers, can. Read more to see how a shift of roles revealed a much deeper hole God wanted to fill, and consider how He might want to do the same for you.

Identity Theft: Combating the Fear of Insignificance

By Caroline Powers

Something was wrong with my life, but I had no idea what it was. I was thirty years old and the mother of a precious eleven-month-old son. My husband of eight years and I were returning from a Christmas visit with friends when I confessed. “I don’t know who I am. I feel like a hollow center surrounded by mirrors that reflect back to people the image they expect to see.”

At a time when I might have been enjoying our life, I felt only emptiness. We both had careers, we didn’t fight or treat each other badly, but my husband must have been feeling unsatisfied as well, because by the next Christmas he had moved out and was in another relationship. My heart was shattered by his betrayal, but the message my heart received from this was worse. If I meant nothing to the one person who supposedly loved me, I must be insignificant. The person I am must not matter at all.

Years later, I understand that fear of being an insignificant person drove me to perform for others. But even success left me feeling hollow because my achievements were a facade to hide behind. No matter how much I might impress someone, my true lack of self-worth remained untouched.

Whether our needs were neglected, or we’ve had hurtful, bad experiences, life sends messages about our worth. Without a secure foundation those experiences can come to define us. In the absence of truth, we conclude that our needs are trivial, our wants must be wrong, and that we ourselves are so flawed that we are not important. This is what happened to me.

Once my heart adopted the “insignificant” label, it was as if I put on glasses and interpreted everything through that lens. Before my life could change, I needed to take my filters off and learn the truth.

Psalm 139:13-14 assures us that God created our inmost being. He knit each of us together in a fearful and wonderful way (NIV). He gave us certain genes. He caused our birth into a family, a country in the world, and a time in history. None of those things were up to us, but they provide the set-up for our journey. Our very uniqueness makes us significant. Because each person originates from God, people do not define us. Only God has the authority to define and assign our significance. And no one can take our place in God’s plan.

Verses 16-17 continue, “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” The Amplified Bible says, “the days that were appointed for me” and King James uses the word, “fashioned.” From this we know that God continues to order our days and sovereignly oversee each one. So, whether our lives appear to be convoluted and messy or focused and right on track, one thing they cannot be, and we cannot be, is insignificant.

Our significance is also found in the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Jesus quoted from Isaiah 61 when he began his earthly ministry by declaring that he was sent to bring good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted and proclaim liberty to the captives. (61:1). His earthly life ended on a cross where he took our sins into himself and died. But God raised him, and our sins were left in his grave. We gain a new life by faith in Christ. You and I may feel helpless, even hopeless, and unworthy at times, but considering the lengths Jesus went to, we are never insignificant.

Receiving Christ exposed my fear of insignificance as a lie. Now, I am guided by the truth that I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for the works He prepared for me to do (Ephesians 2:10).

Are there labels you need to reject and filters you need to remove? I encourage you to spend some time with Psalm 139, Isaiah 61, and other Scriptures. Compare God’s picture of you with the one you would paint of yourself.

Let’s talk about this! Where do you need to agree with God to conquer your fear insignificance? Share your thoughts and examples in the comments below.

Get to Know Caroline:

Caroline is the unpublished writer of a novel that speaks to the themes of grief, identity, and significance. For writing, she draws on her own experience as well as those gained serving in healing prayer ministry for individuals with emotional issues in her church. She became a Christian through the trauma of her divorce and has been remarried for thirty-five years. God has given her a daughter, two stepsons and four grandchildren in addition to the son she had before. Each of her children is unique. They are in various stages of faith in God and understanding their value to Him and other people. She prays for them daily.

For more encouragement on resting in your Christ-given significance, make sure to check out my Faith Over Fear podcast episode titled Moving Past the Fear of Insignificance. Find it HERE.

Risking Failure to Become All God Created You to Be

by Jennifer Slattery on March 26, 2020November 1, 2021

How many opportunities have you avoided, how many dreams have you never pursued, for fear of failure? Or perhaps you embraced that new challenge but then spent countless sleepless nights fretting over what might happen or what others might think when you didn’t measure up or succeed?

The summer before our daughter’s senior year in high school, she had some big decisions to make, decisions that could literally cost her tens of thousands of dollars. She’d been working tirelessly for an academic scholarship, and through sheer grit stood a good chance of attaining it. She knew she could take an easy course load and preserve her GPA, perhaps even improve it. Or she could challenge herself by taking advanced placement math and science classes.

Back then, none of us realized she had an undiagnosed learning disability. But we did know how time consuming and difficult school was for her. She often took twice as long as other students to complete homework and taught herself, through online videos, what other students managed to learn through lecture.

So, basically, we all knew, by taking these classes, she could easily fail. Worse, her failure would cost her a regency—a full academic scholarship for all four years. To a seventeen-year-old on a reasonable allowance, that felt like a lot of money. Uncertain of what to do, she came to my husband and I for advice. To her frustration, I’m sure, we didn’t give her any, except to encourage her not to base her decision on fear. Though we understood the consequences, should she fail, and how devastated she’d be, we also knew she’d suffer more in the long run by becoming risk adverse. We didn’t want her to go through life tiptoeing forward, looking for that next drop off or dead end. We wanted her to proceed with confidence, viewing every setback and roadblock as a learning opportunity.

With a lot of tears, an unseen amount of hours, and a great deal of stress, she passed all of her classes and received that long-coveted regency. But this accomplishment, initially celebrated, soon enslaved her. Once in college, she quickly discovered all the adaptations that had carried her through high school no longer worked. Despite how hard she was trying, despite all the sleepless nights she spent studying, her grades were slipping fast.

As a result, she tried harder, acquiring shingles twice in her first two years away from home.

One day, watching her emotional angst, I looked her in the eye and said, “I kind of hope you’ll fail. I want you to see that failing isn’t the end of the world.”

I reminded her of Ephesians 2:10, which says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

She was, and is, God’s “handiwork,” His masterpiece, being molded by her loving Creator, who was shaping her in Christ to do precisely what He created her to.

In other words, God had a plan for her, one He set into motion before she took her first breath. A plan He assigned knowing every challenge, set back, and momentary “failure” she’d face. She didn’t have to have it all figured out or tackle every difficulty perfectly. She wouldn’t and couldn’t. Rather, she needed to keep her eye on Christ and her heart surrendered and obedient to Him. I knew, so long as she did that, He’d take care of everything else. He would complete all that concerned her. (Ps. 138:8)

I wanted her to experience the freedom that comes when we learn to view failure differently. I knew she’d still work hard. That’s in her nature. But I wanted her to do so with joy and peace rather than stress, fear, and striving.

She did lose that scholarship, and though at first this crushed her, she recovered. She bounced back. In fact, she’ll graduate this spring with a degree that challenged her every brain cell and last ounce of grit. A degree some told her she’d never earn. And for four years, especially on those days when her learning disability seemed insurmountable, part of her wondered if all those naysayers were right.

I imagine there were many times she debated giving up, doing something easier, something safer, something with little to no risk.

She held tight to God’s promise in Ephesians 2:10 knowing He had a plan for her, was working out that plan, and would perfect all that concerned her.

Today, less than two months before her graduation, I’m wondering …

What if she’d taken those easier classes in high school? What other “easy” and “safe” decisions would they have led to?

What if, when others tossed doubt on her resolve, she’d quit, midway through college, and opted for her second or third career choice?

But perhaps most importantly, what if the resolve and courage built with every difficult step prepared her for all the uncertainties ahead and all God has in store for her?

What if embracing risk led to her greatest growth and strength?

What if our saying yes and embracing risk does the same for us?

Let’s talk about this! Is God asking you to embrace risk for Him? If so, what? And how can you step into that today?

When has risk initiated personal growth?

If you’re following the Faith Over Fear challenge, congrats! We’ve made it to week eight! Woohoo! (Please note, I noticed I uploaded the wrong questions and notes to the wrong week. You can find all the shownotes and questions, with Bible references, HERE.)

Additional resources:

Rhinestone Jesus: Saying Yes to God When Sparkly, Safe Faith is No Longer Enough by

by Kristen Welch

Say Yes to God Journal by Lysa TerKeurst

What Happens When Women Say Yes to God: Experiencing Life in Extraordinary Ways by Lysa TerKeurst