Faith over Fear

 December 29, 2025

My Devotion

My Heart

Faith over Fear

Teresa Gunn

 

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

 

Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

 

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3

 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

 

Jesus said, “Do not be afraid; just believe”. Mark 5:36

 

I have been controlled by fear many times in my life.  If we are honest, we live with a sting of fear.  For what we do not know or understand is all around us.  It amazes me that the God who made the universe and all its inhabitants, and has everything and everyone under His control, knows me as though I am the only one.  When I am alone, He is with me.  When I am lost, He knows where I am.  When I am afraid, He holds on to me.  God has never in my life been in a hurry, He does not instantly answer my prayers, provide all that I need before I need it, give me whatever I want when I ask.  No God is steadfast and steady with all His intentions and actions. 

 

Throughout my life I have seen a lot, I have lived through a lot.  I can’t say that the bad outweighed the good, but I can see that good can be found in everything I have been through.  I was born the 4^th and last child into a financially struggling family.  It was a surprise pregnancy, my mother said she cried for months because she couldn’t see how they could take care of another child.  I thought my mother was powerful, assured, and could do anything.  Not only was I conceived, but I was also planned for by God with a twist.  You see, when we think we can’t do any more God gives us a challenge to show us we can.

 

I was born with an intestinal birth defect, doctors in our small town did not know what it was and treated the symptoms not the problem.  It wasn’t until I was 11 years old that my mother had done all she could and the next part I don’t know how it came about, but God guided my mother to a team of doctors in Dallas Children’s Medical Center.  And one year later I was well.  One year, three surgeries, and months of medical care and healing.  By the end of my 7^th grade year, I was a normal, healthy girl. I would like to say life was a dream after that, the perfect life.  We all know there is nothing perfect in this life.  Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

 

That is almost cruel.  In this world there will always be problems, God knew before He created it.  Some people think God is cruel because he allows so much heartache, trials, and pain.  But what if we didn’t have trials, tribulation, sickness, etc.?  Would we ever know peace if we didn’t have trouble to compare it.

 

I have never seen God instantly part the troubles in my life for me to walk through unscathed.  I have never received an instant answer to my prayers.  But I have, when I open my heart to His answer and not my request, felt His peace and comfort surround me.  God doesn’t speak to me through a burning bush, but He does calm my beating heart and gives me rest every night when I lay my head on my pillow.

 

Jesus loves me, this I know, the Bible tells me so and every morning His mercies are new and His love never waivers or fails.  He is the rock I run to and the God who takes me into His arms and never lets go.

 

Faith is a noun that requires action; biblically it means; a belief and trust in God based on good evidence without total proof.  Life doesn’t get easier because of faith, but it does give us strength to endure and even overcome whatever life give us.  One of my favorite verses on faith… Now faith is the substance (assurance, reality, realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (certainty, conviction, proof, convinced, reality) of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

 

The reality we create comes only through faith or fear.  Fear is easy to fall prey to; faith is an exercise that strengthens us when put to the test. Jesus told His followers when they questioned Him about their inability to help a demon-possessed boy.  Jesus became frustrated with His disciples and said, “You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I stay with you?  How long shall I put up with you?  Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.  Matthew 17:17-18

 

Jesus also told them the reason they could not help the boy, was because they had so little faith.  Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there; and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 19-20

 

Faith is meant to be powerful and like a muscle doesn’t grow strong without resistance and training, neither will our faith be powerful to overcome the trials and challenges we face in this life.  Let us put our faith over our fears and overcome the obstacles that keep us from all the goodness of God and His plans for us. 

 

In His Time

Teresa

WE WAIT

 December 26, 2025 

My Devotion

My Heart

We Wait

Teresa Gunn

We wait for the LORD; He is our help and shield.  For our hearts rejoice in Him because we trust in His holy name.  May your faithful love rest on us, Lord, for we put our hope in you. Psalm 33:20-22

Wait: verb: Stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or until something else happens.

I would have to admit that waiting is my least favorite verb.  Waiting for good things, like Christmas morning...waiting for the doctor to se me...waiting for good or bad is very difficult.  I have been in a waiting pattern my whole life.  By nature, I lean to the slow in action.  My mother would get frustrated with me and say, "You are slower than cold molasses."  Waiting is my least favorite activity, but it is part of life and a huge part of every day.  

The bible has a lot to say about waiting, my mind goes to being still until something happens, which makes waiting a much harder activity.  I realize that my entire life I have been waiting  for something or someone.   God has given me many lessons on waiting and developing patience.  But His patiences with me is much better than mine.  God sees the past, present, and future (at the same time). He's already there.  He knows where we've been, where we are, and where we are going.  He knows tomorrow before it ever exists for us.

I have a signature salutation, that I use often, because I want to actively be in expectation of God's goodness and care.  It is my reminder that god is at work and in His time, He will do or reveal to me what I am waiting for,  At the end of a note, letter, or email I sign... "In HIS Time", because my heart knows to wait for Him, but my mind hopes for an instant result or response.  I've spent too many years rushing through days at the same time holding tight the moments that fly by.

This morning, I picked up my phone and Psalm 33 was on my screen.  "We wait for the LORD..." my heart sank just a little, my mind said, "Again! I must wait for answers, for provision, for peace, for what ever God is working in me.

In the bible, "wait" is huge and applicable in all our life's circumstances...  Wait is an active, hopeful, and trusting stance, not passive idleness, meaning to diligently look for, expect and patiently rely on god's timing and promises while actively living out faith, seeking Him in His word, and serving others. It involves spiritual discipline, cultivating patience, and dependence on God.

In my search for meaning and understanding of waiting, I went to Google...searched for the meaning of wait in the Bible.  the Hebrew word fro wait was at the top of the search.  Qavah...waiting is a common activity in the Old Testament.  I think we can all agree waiting is not our favorite activity.  Qavah is to bind or twist together in hope; a connected expectation for God's intervention and renewal.

The Bible is filled with waiting examples.  It appears that all human nature has a difficult time in waiting for things to happen or for God to move on our behalf.  There is a little relieve in knowing that the people in the Bible were not very good at waiting either.  But God is the great teacher of patience.  Have you ever heard the suggestion, "Don't pray for patience." When you do, you'll get an assignment in waiting.

For most of my life, wait was a four-letter word that made me cringe.  Today, I'm not better at waitingm but I do see the significance of waiting.  God has plans for each one of us and the longer it takes for HIm to fulfill those plans for us the better those plans will be.  God will put everything He plans for us into place as we really put our fait and trust in Him and His timing.  The exciting part is the testimony we can share to encourage others in their times of need,

So with great excitement and joy... We wait for the LORD; He is our help and shield.  For our hearts rejoice in Him because we trust in His holy name.  May your faithful love rest on us.  LORD, for we put our hope in you.  Psalm 33:20-22

In HIS Time

Teresa