Have you ever felt guilty about experiencing anxiety?
If you read the Bible often or spend a lot of time in the church, you’re probably familiar with verses like this one: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done”(Philippians 4:6).
It’s easy to read this and feel ashamed whenever anxiety hijacks our hearts. This shame can cause us to pull away from the God who is our peace. It can lead us to deny our struggle, suppress our concerns, or just try harder to stop worrying — as if we could overcome our inner turmoil by the sheer force of our will.
God calls us to something far more holistic and relational.
As humans made in his image, we’re emotional beings like the Creator we reflect. Scripture reveals a God who experiences a range of emotions. He’s not disappointed by the big feelings we face. In fact, when we carry personal concerns, experience life crises, or encounter the world’s brokenness, it’s natural to feel deeply troubled. To not feel this turmoil would not be human.
As someone who’s dealt with more than a little worry in my life, even needing anti-anxiety medication during especially difficult seasons, this topic lives close to my heart. I want to walk faithfully with God and practice wise mental health habits.
Is it possible to do both?
Scripture reveals that it is. Let’s do a deep dive into God’s Word and discover a healthy framework for tending to our inner and outer lives.
First, however, it’s important to acknowledge that not all anxiety is created equal.
Holistic Mental Health
In my early adult years, I viewed anxiety as sin and depression as a lack of faith. Then a series of events turned my life upside down. Depression became my constant companion. Anxiety clouded my thinking. Panic attacks had me pulling over on the side of the road because I couldn’t breathe.
I still loved Jesus. I still read my Bible and went to church and clung to my faith. That’s when I learned there’s more to the story.
We humans are complex creatures. Our bodies are no less sacred than our spirits. Our emotions were created by God as much as our minds. What affects one part of us impacts the whole.
When we talk about anxiety, we must acknowledge the importance of holistic care. God uses pastors and doctors, therapists and naturopaths, friends and professionals to help us along the way. As we look at what Scripture says about anxiety, let’s honor the sacredness of our whole selves. Let’s lean into faith while also taking care of our bodies, minds, and emotions.
Anxiety in the Bible
In the New Testament’s original Greek, the most common word for worry is merimnaó.Bible Hub defines it this way: “to be anxious, to worry, to care for.” From this definition, we see it’s used with both negative and positive connotations. Check out the following verses. (Each bolded word is merimnaó in the original text.)
“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25).
“’Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed — or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:41-42).
“I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs — how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world — how he can please his wife — and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world — how she can please her husband” (1 Corinthians 7:32-34).
“There should be no division in the body, but its parts should have equal concern for each other” (1 Corinthians 12:25).
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).
“I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare” (Philemon 2:20).
Context Clues
To understand whether this word is used negatively or positively, let’s consider the context of each passage.
In Matthew 6, Jesus warned his followers not to merimnaó about daily necessities because it’s ineffective (verse 27). Paul echoed these instructions in Philippians 4. Worrying doesn’t change our situation for the better. Instead, such anxiety takes our eyes off the Father who cares for us, convincing us we must meet our own needs. It blinds us to God’s deep love for us as his treasured children and robs us of the peace that comes from bringing our needs to him in heartfelt prayer.
In 1 Corinthians 7 and 12 and Philemon 2, on the other hand, the same word is used to indicate healthy concern for others. Husbands and wives should care for one another, as should all believers in God’s family. We ought to know and love each other well, working toward unity so we can build healthy relationships.
We can, however, idolize taking care of others, as we see in Martha’s life (Luke 10). Like Martha, we can allow concern for others to distract us from resting in and receiving from Christ. We may even assume God measures our worth and value by how well we serve him and others.
From these context clues, we discover that merimnaó is a bad thing when it turns us inward — to self-sufficiency, to forgetting God’s love, to meeting others’ needs in unhealthy ways. When we recognize this in our souls, our Father invites us to come to him boldly, pour out our hearts, and receive his peace and provision.
Grammar Matters
In John’s gospel, we find a related Greek word — tarassō. The NLT translates this as “deeply troubled.” Blue Letter Bible describes tarassō this way: “to cause one inward commotion, take away his calmness of mind, disturb his equanimity.”
My goodness, do I know how this feels. From a heart-piercing comment thrown my way, to life coming unraveled at the seams, any number of factors can disturb my soul.
Jesus felt this inward agony, too. At Lazarus’ tomb, he saw the anguish of the people around him and was deeply troubled (John 11:33). When he told his disciples about his impending betrayal, abandonment, and death, tarassō again described the state of his soul (John 12:27, 13:21.)
Yet in John 14:1 and 27, after expressing his own inner turmoil, Jesus used the same word to instruct his disciples not to let their hearts be troubled. Since Scripture tells us Jesus never sinned, he can’t be pulling a, “do what I say, not what I do” move. So, what’s going on here?
Looking at the Greek verb tenses provides some beautiful insight. When Jesus was “deeply troubled,” the verb indicates a simple action. It merely describes his lack of calmness, the presence of inward commotion in his soul. The circumstances around him and the events ahead of him were deeply disturbing — and rightly so.
In John 14, on the other hand, the verb tense indicates continuous action. Jesus had just told them he was going away, and he knew their hearts were deeply unsettled. Again, the feeling was only natural. He didn’t condemn them for experiencing this — he knew the feeling himself! But he warned them not to stay there.
God Cares for Our Well-Being
1 John 5:3 describes God’s commands as “not burdensome” and his instructions against worry beautifully illustrate this truth. When Jesus tells his disciples not to worry, he does so for their own good, as we can see from looking back at our first Greek word.
Merimnaó comes from the root word mérimna, meaning “a part, separated from the whole…dividing and fracturing a person’s being into parts.” Worry pulls us apart on the inside. It hinders us from living in healthy connection to God, ourselves, and others. So, when God tells us not to worry, he demonstrates his tender concern for our inner wholeness and reveals his gentle, loving heart.
As followers of Jesus, peace is our inheritance. Otherworldly peace. Peace that passes understanding. Peace that can’t be ultimately destroyed by chaos, suffering, or loss. This is God’s heart for his people, the reason he calls us not to stay stuck in anxiety.
But how do we get there? How do we trade peace for worry? How do we choose trust over doubt?
Bringing God Our Whole Selves
When God calls us to love him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength (Mark 12:30), he’s inviting us into embodied faith, into a relationship where we’re already loved, into freedom to bring him our authentic selves — anxiety and all. Just as Jesus didn’t condemn his first-century followers for feeling troubled, he offers his followers today zero condemnation as well (Romans 8:1).
So, when our hearts become deeply troubled, when anxiety fractures our souls, when troubles of hurricane proportions overcome our sense of inner peace, we can find good company in Jesus. Instead of relegating us to the shadows of shame, he invites us to draw near and pour out our souls. To tell him what’s going on in our bodies, to verbalize the doubts plaguing our minds, to welcome him into the corners of our beings and know he’ll meet us with grace.
The Antidote to Anxiety
Once we’ve brought God our authentic selves, he invites us to rest in his loving acceptance and tender care. For in this place of quiet vulnerability, God often reveals aspects of his character we could only see with our souls laid bare.
Anxiety tells us God isn’t good. It drives us to take care of ourselves. It paints the future as bleak and our options as human-sized.
Jesus, on the other hand, calls us to trust him (John 14:1) — not a type of mind-over-matter trust, but trust that’s the overflow of a relationship where we experience God as beautiful and good. When Jesus told his disciples not to worry, he rooted these instructions in the theology of a God who values us, who knows our needs, who cares deeply and provides lovingly, and who works all things for our good.
So, when life disquiets our souls, let’s lead our hearts to the presence of God and let him guard our hearts with his peace.
This article was originally published on July 24, 2025 atBible Study tools.
Have you ever felt guilty about experiencing anxiety?
If you read the Bible often or spend a lot of time in the church, you’re probably familiar with verses like this one: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done”(Philippians 4:6).
It’s easy to read this and feel ashamed whenever anxiety hijacks our hearts. This shame can cause us to pull away from the God who is our peace. It can lead us to deny our struggle, suppress our concerns, or just try harder to stop worrying — as if we could overcome our inner turmoil by the sheer force of our will.
God calls us to something far more holistic and relational.
As humans made in his image, we’re emotional beings like the Creator we reflect. Scripture reveals a God who experiences a range of emotions. He’s not disappointed by the big feelings we face. In fact, when we carry personal concerns, experience life crises, or encounter the world’s brokenness, it’s natural to feel deeply troubled. To not feel this turmoil would not be human.
As someone who’s dealt with more than a little worry in my life, even needing anti-anxiety medication during especially difficult seasons, this topic lives close to my heart. I want to walk faithfully with God and practice wise mental health habits.
Is it possible to do both?
Scripture reveals that it is. Let’s do a deep dive into God’s Word and discover a healthy framework for tending to our inner and outer lives.
First, however, it’s important to acknowledge that not all anxiety is created equal.
Is it possible to disagree without being disagreeable? How can Christians hold different opinions without creating division? What heart attitudes promote harmony in a dissonant world?
Throughout the New Testament, God calls his people to like-mindedness.
“Live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose” (1 Corinthians 1:10).
“Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind” (Philippians 2:2).
“Let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up” (Romans 14:19).
These verses have me nodding my head in agreement. Yes, unity is beautiful — a noble calling for a holy people. I want to live this way. To build others up, to represent the gospel well, to reflect the God who is our peace.
In the everyday, though, life gets messy.
We all operate with our own unique filters: our culture, our family background, our stories, our church affiliation, our wounds, our personalities. Even as Christians, we hold different beliefs, have different priorities, lean toward different preferences.
How, then, can we possibly promote peace?
As humans we often gravitate to one extreme or another. Many of us are conflict avoidant. We run from disagreement or quietly smile and nod, keeping our thoughts and opinions to ourselves. Others of us are confrontational. If we disagree, we don’t mind saying so. In both situations, our natural responses can lead to division.
Here, as in many other situations, God beckons us into the middle spaces of grace where uniformity isn’t necessary for unity. He wants to reshape our hearts so we can speak up with confidence when something needs to be said, and we can listen with humility when he calls us to be quiet. We can learn to bring harmony into the situations we encounter as God weaves his peace into our souls.
5 Attitudes for Disagreeing without Dividing
1. Humility
In my young adult years, I held firm beliefs on many topics — especially when it came to the Bible. After walking through the collapse and reconstruction of my faith, however, I learned there’s often a bigger picture than what I can see on my own. For sure, truth is absolute, and the Bible speaks clearly on many black and white issues.
But life also holds many gray areas. On these topics, the Bible leaves room for us to lean into God, to learn and study and explore, to listen for his voice while embracing humility and a teachable heart.
1 Peter 5:5 instructs us, “Dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”
Humility paves the way for growth. It fosters healthy conversations and leaves room for others to express different viewpoints. It enables us to listen without defensiveness and learn from one another.
2. Curiosity
If humility opens the door for authentic conversations, curiosity helps those conversations go deep and wide. Scripture calls us to be quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19). Curiosity helps us do just that.
A few years ago, our family started attending a new church. Before settling here, we’d never spent time in this particular denomination. Everything felt new. New terminology, new methodology, new worship styles. We asked lots of questions. We discussed Bible passages and enjoyed many thought-provoking conversations. We gleaned beautiful insight from orthodox voices in a different church tradition.
It felt like stretching, like growing. More than anything, it felt like learning to value our brothers and sisters in the larger Body of Christ.
Curiosity helps us avoid making assumptions based on hearsay or preconceived ideas. It creates space to understand and be understood, to know and be known. It allows us to see souls, not just differences.
3. Respect
By approaching hard conversations with humility and curiosity, we can learn to live with respect. 1 Peter 2:17 instructs us to “Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, [and] fear God…”
Each person we encounter bears God’s image and has immeasurable worth and value. When we treat one another respectfully, we honor God.
In hard conversations with other believers, it’s important to remember that like us, they have the Spirit of God living within them. We should honor their walk with Christ and acknowledge his work in their lives, even in times of disagreement.
An attitude of respect enables us to treat people with dignity. It helps us obey Proverbs 3:3: “Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart.”
4. Open-Heartedness
Romans 14 is my go-to passage for relating well with other Christians. In this chapter, the apostle Paul addresses a hot topic in the church at Corinth — eating meat sacrificed to idols. While this may seem strange to many twenty-first century believers, it was a point of major contention for this early church.
Paul urges believers on both sides of the issue to accept each other. In the Bible’s original Greek, acceptance carries the idea of friendship, of welcoming someone close and allowing them access to your heart.
In the family of God, Christians are called to welcome one another — even those with whom we disagree.
Why? Because God accepts them, just as he accepts us. Based on our mutual faith in Christ, we stand accepted by our Father. He has granted us access to his heart and lavished us with his favor. He is the One who helps us stand strong in our faith, and he is the One to whom we will give account.
While we may naturally gravitate to those with similar viewpoints, God calls us to live with an open heart toward those who view life differently.
5. Confidence
Relating to one another with acceptance, however, doesn’t mean our differences are unimportant. It doesn’t excuse sin that should be confronted or negate the need for sound doctrine and healthy boundaries. It doesn’t minimize personal conviction or call us to simply conform to the beliefs of those around us.
On the contrary, Romans 14:5 instructs us to be fully convinced in our own minds that what we believe is true. God calls us to study his Word, seek his heart, and allow his Spirit to teach us. As he guides us in forming convictions, we’ll learn to live out our faith with confidence and to share our beliefs with grace.
Differences are a necessary part of life. Jesus made it clear that he came to present people with a choice to either accept or reject him by faith. As Christians, we won’t always agree with those who don’t know him. God calls us to relate to non-believers with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15-16).
Within the family of faith, differences of belief are also unavoidable. Denominations exist because, as we study his Word, we Christians land in different places on secondary and tertiary issues. This can be a beautiful thing. We can learn from one other and grow in grace as we remember what we hold in common and allow space for what we see differently.
Our Source of Unity
As is true with every quality God calls us to practice, these heart attitudes can only grow in us through connection with God’s Spirit. Rather than demanding we perform them for him, he calls us to receive them from him.
His Spirit is our Source. Whenever we see in ourselves a lack of humility, curiosity, respect, open-heartedness, or confidence, God beckons us to bring our wrong attitudes into his light. To turn from our lack to his abundance. To allow his Spirit to renew our minds so our attitudes and actions can change as a result. As he does this, we’ll become more and more like him.
The God who calls us to “Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace” (Ephesians 4:3) will teach us how to “be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude” (1 Peter 3:8).
The following quote has been variously attributed to St. Augustine, John Wesley, and others. But regardless of who said it, it sums up our Christian calling well:
“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”
As we walk with God and allow him to form his character in our lives, may he use us to promote harmony among the people he loves.
This article originally appeared at Bible Study Tools on 12/16/2024.
Why should I keep following God when he isn’t answering my prayers?
The unspoken question haunted me. I wished I didn’t feel this way. I told myself I should just keep trusting. For all my trying, though, the uncertainty continued. And with it, accusations against God’s character chipped away at my faith.
God doesn’t really care about you.
He’ll never answer your prayers.
He probably isn’t trustworthy.
With gentleness and grace, God drew near, reminding me he already knew my thoughts. He invited me to bring them into the open. Voice the feelings. Verbalize the doubts. Lay bare my soul before the One who sees me as I am and loves me.
So, I did.
As I poured out my disillusionment and admitted what my head was saying about his heart, I found myself on holy ground. He met me there in a deeply personal way. Rather than bypassing my pain or scolding my lack of faith, he received my questions. With his still, small voice, he asked me a question in return, the same question he’d asked Peter in John 6:67, “Do you want to walk away?”
As I pondered his question, I found myself answering as Peter did, “Where would I go? You have the words of life” (v 68). I remembered the history we’ve shared — how he delivered me from a food addiction as a teenager, how he healed my broken heart as a young adult. I’d tasted of his goodness. I’d experienced his grace. He was as real to me as the people in my own family.
No, I didn’t want to walk away. Despite the pain in my soul, even though he had yet to answer my prayers, he was still the same God. Still loving. Still powerful. Still for me and worthy of my trust.
I left that encounter a different person, not because my circumstances had changed or because he’d promised me they would. On the contrary, he gave me himself. He let me experience his open-hearted welcome, his understanding, and his soul-mending grace.
When our faith is slipping, God offers to be our firm foundation (Isaiah 33:6). He stands ready with open arms to receive us in our brokenness, eager to welcome us home (Luke 15:20). He’ll never reject those who come to him (John 6:37).
If you find yourself in a similar spot, I invite you to make space to pour out your heart before God.
Preparing to Pray
In Genesis 3, God asked Adam and Eve a probing question as they hid from him in the Garden. “But the LORD God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” (v. 9). With this inquiry, the Creator beckoned them out of the shadows and into his presence. God invites us, too, to ponder the state of our souls.
As you prepare to meet with him, consider the following suggestions:
Go to a quiet place
As a mom with three kids, I know the challenge of finding a spot where I can be alone. This may take some planning and creativity, but if possible, find a location where it’s just you and God.
Turn toward God
I’m so used to living busy that it takes intentionality to be still and turn my soul heavenward. Taking a physical posture can help: kneeling, looking up, raising our hands. Listening to music or being in nature can also focus our hearts on God.
Pay attention to your body
When I press pause and listen to my body, I often recognize emotions I hadn’t yet acknowledged. I notice tense muscles. I sense shallow breathing. I discover my jaw is clenched. These physical reactions provide clues to what’s going on in my soul. God wants to meet with us on this level — at the core of our being, helping us understand what we’re feeling and why, revealing his heart and mending ours along the way.
Pray in ways you personally connect with God
My favorite way to pray is with journal and pen in hand. I love writing out my thoughts and recording what I sense God’s Spirit saying in my heart. I also enjoy prayer walking, especially when I’m experiencing big emotions. How do you most easily connect with God? If you’re not sure, try different methods and see what works best for you.
Here are five prayers to guide you in times of faith crisis.
5 Prayers for When Your Faith Is Slipping
1. When You Have No Words
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings” (Romans 8:26).
Lord, there’s so much simmering inside me right now, I’m not even sure how to pray. You see what’s going on in my heart. You understand my situation more clearly than I do. How do you want me to pray?
God may impress a specific request or direction for prayer on your heart. If so, talk with him about this. If not, take comfort in knowing his Spirit is praying on your behalf.
You can also use the Psalms as a springboard for your prayers, personalizing them as if you were the one penning them. For example, based on Psalm 23, I would pray something like this:
Lord, you are my Shepherd, the One who meets my needs. Please feed my soul and give my heart rest. Make me like a sheep grazing in open pasture beside a quiet brook. Renew my strength and guide me. I want to honor you. Right now, Lord, I feel like I’m walking through a dark valley. Please silence the fear clawing at my soul. Help me sense your nearness. Protect, comfort, and care for me. Thank you for your ever-present goodness and mercy. Please quiet my heart with your love.
2. When Emotions, Questions, and Doubts Overwhelm
“Pour out your hearts before him! God is our shelter!” (Psalm 62:8b).
God, I feel __________ (list your emotions.) Please help me understand these emotions and why I’m feeling them. Show me what’s going on beneath the surface. I don’t understand __________ (list your questions.) Help me see my situation from your perspective. I’m struggling to believe __________ (list your doubts about his character or his Word.) Reveal the facet of your character I most need to experience right now. Thank you for receiving me, for not pushing me away to fix my own problems.
The Bible describes God as siting on “the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16). Jesus threw open the door to his presence and he beckons the needy to draw near (Mark 15:37-38). We can approach him with confidence, knowing he wants to listen to our hearts and reveal his.
3. When You Need God to Intervene
“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life” (Philippians 4:6, The Message).
Lord, you are a kind Father who wants to give good gifts to your children. I have some pretty big needs right now. I ask you to work in my heart (Romans 12:2). Where there’s doubt, give me faith. Where there’s anger, grant me forgiveness. Where there’s anxiety, let me know your peace. Where there’s disillusionment, impart hope. Where there’s brokenness, bring your healing.
Please work in my circumstances, too. I need you to move__________ (list your specific requests). Provide for my needs. Reconcile wounded relationships. Allow me to experience both your mighty power and your tender care (2 Chronicles 16:9, Psalm 139:3).
When Jesus instructs us to ask, seek, and knock, he bases this invitation on the generous heart of our Father (Matthew 7:7-11). When he tells us not to worry, he reasons that our Father wants to take care of us (Matthew 6:25-34). Because our God loves us, we can ask him for whatever we need.
4. When You Feel Alone
“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).
Father, I pray for community. Please surround me with people who can help bear the burdens I’m carrying (Galatians 6:2). Send people into my life who’ve walked a similar path. Use your children to speak grace and truth into my circumstances. Provide healers to help me walk toward wholeness. Give me vision for how I’ll be able to do the same for others.
God works relationally, often through the hands and feet of his people. Those who’ve met God in their own struggles are equipped to help others meet him there, too. Ask God to show you how you can seek out this kind of community.
5. When You’re Choosing to Trust
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5).
Thank you, God, for welcoming me as I am. Thank you for how you’ve met with me in my struggle. I long for you to change my circumstances, but I choose to believe you’re trustworthy, even if you don’t answer the way I’m asking you to. “I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).
When our faith is fragile, God beckons us close. He invites us to process what we’re thinking and feeling with him, to experience his nearness, and to allow him to heal and strengthen our souls.
If you ask ten people to define the gospel, you’ll likely get ten different answers. Over time and through frequency of use, the word gospel has lost much of its meaning. As Christians, we know it has to do with salvation. We accepted the gospel when we came to faith in Jesus, and we’re supposed to share the gospel with others.
Yet how can we share what we don’t clearly understand? What does the Bible really teach about the gospel?
What Is the Gospel?
Many gospel conversations focus on life after death: All have sinned. Sin separates us from God. Jesus died to save us from hell and make heaven possible for those who believe in him.
But what if this is only part of the gospel story?
What if the gospel is more than a ticket to heaven after we die? What if it’s just as relevant to current believers as it is to those who don’t yet know Jesus?
In the New Testament, the Greek word for gospel is euangelion (or euangelizo when used as a verb). It’s basic meaning is “good news.” This word occurs 130 times in the New Testament, always centering on the story of Jesus and what he accomplished through his life, death, and resurrection.
While it’s definitely good news that Jesus’ sacrifice made a way for us to go to heaven, a closer study of Scripture paints a bigger picture than simply a better life someday. The word gospel didn’t originate in the New Testament with the advent of Jesus. When the apostles wrote about this good news, they built upon the entire Biblical narrative:
God created a good world in which humans ruled as his representatives, living in harmony with him, with each other, and with creation (Genesis 1:31).
Humanity rejected God as their King, ushering in the curse of sin and death and all the brokenness we see in our world (Genesis 3, Romans 5:12).
God, in relentless love, promised to send a Deliverer who would rescue humanity, redeem creation, and reestablish his kingdom on earth (Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 9:1-7).
God chose Abraham to be the father of the Israelite people. Through him, God showed us the supreme value of faith (Genesis 12:1-3, Galatians 3:6-7).
God called Israel to be his people, to model what it looks like to live with God as King. Like the first humans, though, they rejected him repeatedly (Leviticus 26:12, 1 Samuel 8:7).
Israel’s prophets spent hundreds of years foretelling the coming of a new King, echoing God’s original promise of a Deliverer. He would come, they said, as a descendant of Abraham. Through him, all the nations of the world would be blessed. The prophet Isaiah describes the mission this Deliverer would fulfill:
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news [i.e. the gospel] to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.
He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory” (Isaiah 61:1-3, NLT).
Building on this backstory, New Testament writers proclaimed the good news that Jesus is the promised Deliverer — the one we’ve been awaiting since God’s very first promise in the Garden of Eden.
The Bible Project explains that in the Old Testament, “The ‘good news’ is connected to the victory of a king, or to the enthronement of a king over his kingdom.” This was precisely how New Testament writers used the term. To them, the gospel was a royal announcement (Matthew 24:14).
Jesus’ arrival initiated the Kingdom of God.
Why Is the Gospel of the Kingdom Good News?
Jesus used Isaiah’s words (above) to describe what he came to do as humanity’s rightful King(Luke 4:16-21). Through his earthly ministry, he revealed what the kingdom of God looks like as he healed sickness, banished demons with a word, and conquered death through his own resurrection.
He showed us that in his kingdom, leaders wash the feet of their followers. Mercy triumphs over judgment and faith counts as righteousness. The first are last and peacemakers are the true children of God. The hungry are filled, the broken healed, and the humble inherit the kingdom.
Jesus entered the domain of darkness to set up his kingdom of light. And where Jesus reigns, the curse is undone.
The gospel of the kingdom is good news because it tells us that earth has a new King, one who invites us to join his kingdom through faith in his life, death, and resurrection.
Who Is This Good News For?
While the gospel is good news for those who don’t yet know Jesus, it’s also good news for those of us who follow him. Far more than a heavenly home someday, the gospel enables us to begin enjoying our inheritance right now. Because of the gospel, we have:
Peace with God
The “gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15) reconciles us to the Father. No longer are we at odds with him, separated by our sin. He is for us. He welcomes us to approach him boldly. He relates to us as beloved children.
“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory” (Romans 5:1-2, emphasis added).
A New Identity
The gospel redefines us. We are “no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household” (Ephesians 2:19). Jesus is King and we are his chosen people.
“So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority” (Colossians 2:10).
Ongoing Salvation
While we have been saved from the penalty of sin, and we will someday be saved from the presence of sin (Romans 5:9-11), the Bible tells us we are also being saved from the control of sin in our lives. As we acknowledge Jesus’ kingship and participate with his work in and through us, we are changed from the inside out. The gospel itself is the power source for this ongoing renewal and transformation (Romans 1:16).
“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18, emphasis added).
Purpose and Calling
As citizens of Christ’s kingdom, we’ve been entrusted with a vital mission — spreading the gospel of the new King and inviting others to join his kingdom, too. In every profession, in any location, this is the call of God for all his kingdom people. Through his Spirit, he equips us to live out this purpose (Acts 1:8).
“…God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:18b-21, NLT).
The Kingdom Is Here Now, but Also Not Yet
If Jesus is reigning now as earth’s rightful King, and if kingdom living looks like freedom for the captives, healing for the blind, and the end of oppression (Isaiah 61), why is the world still so broken?
Theologians use the phrase “already, not yet” to describe the kingdom of God.
Already, Jesus holds the name above all names. He disarmed the spiritual forces of darkness and triumphed over them at the cross. He possesses all authority in heaven and on earth (Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 2:13-15, Matthew 28:18).
Already, as citizens of Christ’s kingdom, we have peace with God. By grace through faith, our sins are forgiven. We are joined to Christ in such a way that God sees Jesus’ goodness when he looks at us. We have a new life, a new name, and a new identity. His Spirit lives inside us as our Source of abundant life. Through his ongoing presence, we can learn the ways of the kingdom and the heart of the King, becoming like him as he renews his image in us (Romans 5:1; 1 John 2:12; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; John 10:10, 14:26; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
Already, the kingdom of God is here on earth. Instead of looking like armies and thrones we can see, though, this kingdom spreads around the globe by taking root in human hearts. Wherever the gospel goes out and people claim Jesus as their King, the kingdom has come. And where the kingdom comes, so does the power of God (Matthew 12:28, Luke 17:20-21).
Sometimes this is visible, as God’s Spirit confirms the gospel message through miracles such as healing, deliverance, and restoration. Other times, though, the renewal is just as invisible as the kingdom itself. This is where the not yet comes into play.
Though Jesus is King and the earth rightly belongs to him, the best is yet to come. For now, we foretaste the realities of the kingdom. Someday, we’ll experience them in full.
Not yet do the powers of darkness bow to Jesus’ authority. An invisible battle still rages in the spiritual realm. People still choose darkness rather than light, selfishness rather than love, brokenness rather than redemption (1 Corinthians 15:24-28, Philippians 2:10-11, John 3:19).
Not yet do we cease to struggle with sin. We’ve been declared righteous by faith, but we’re still learning to live out this reality as the Spirit changes us from the inside out (Romans 6).
Not yet has God wiped away every tear and removed the things which cause pain (Revelation 21:4).
Not yet is the grave finally destroyed. Sickness still ravages and people still die. When our prayers for healing receive God’s no, we’re reminded we await our full inheritance as kingdom citizens (1 Corinthians 15).
Not yet has the New Heaven come to the New Earth with its life-giving river, its healing tree of life, and its riches beyond our wildest imaginations. Not yet does the King dwell with his people so that we see his face and have no need of the sun or artificial light (Revelation 22:1-6).
The gospel tells us that Jesus is King. His kingdom is here now with its transforming power. Someday it will fully and finally come.
Like springtime in Narnia melting the White Witch’s frigid curse, Christ’s Kingdom has arrived to make all things new. As the hymn writer aptly put it,
“Though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler Yet.
This is my Father’s world: Why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King: let the heavens ring! God reigns; let earth be glad!”
This post originally appeared on Bible Study Tools, May 1, 2024:
Does faith deconstruction have a place in the Church? A quick Google search reveals a variety of opinions on the subject, with articles ranging from harsh criticism to strong praise.
What is faith deconstruction? Where did the concept come from and how can we be sure we’re talking about the same thing?
What Is Faith Deconstruction?
Defining deconstruction is tricky because there’s no agreed upon definition. The term first appeared in the fields of secular literature and philosophy. Britannica describes deconstruction as the process in which modern readers dissect older works to examine the language and logic, often leading to a reinterpretation of the pieces in question. In this context, truth is considered relative, merely an expression of the writer’s experience and understanding.
When viewing faith deconstruction through this lens, many Christians are concerned. If we deconstruct the Bible based on the assumption that it was written by fallible humans and not through divine inspiration, we lose the foundation of our faith. The Creeds of Christianity are rooted in the belief that Scripture is divine truth. For two millennia, Christians have looked to the Bible as our authority for faith and practice. Based on this understanding of deconstruction, many believers equate it with deconversion.
Another line of thought, however, views the process in architectural terms. Grace Ruiter explains it this way, “If you think of Christian faith as a home, pursuing tough questions about your faith is a bit like tearing away the carpeting and knocking out the drywall to see the bones that lie beneath. It pulls apart your beliefs to reveal what they’re made of and what holds them together.” In this context, other Christians see faith deconstruction as a positive endeavor.
For some, this type of deconstruction may look like remodeling a single room. For others, it may resemble the complete renovation of an entire structure. In both cases, though, deconstruction can honor the value of faith as people invest time and energy to see it restored.
Because the term can be used in many different contexts, it’s wise to begin our discussion of faith deconstruction by agreeing on how we will use the term.
My Experience with Faith Deconstruction
I first heard the term faith deconstruction in the architectural context. At the time, I was several years into my own spiritual renovation. I didn’t have a word for my experience. I just knew my faith needed a complete overhaul. A series of life-changing events caused me to question everything I’d believed and practiced for decades. I didn’t want to abandon faith, but I knew I couldn’t live in the faith structure I’d built without full reconstruction.
Barnabus Piper’s definition put words to my experience: “The word ‘deconstruction’ implies intentional process, a disassembling of something in order to examine its parts. It is different than ‘destruction’ or ‘dissolving’ … Actual deconstruction allows for something to be examined and reassembled or remodeled (hopefully better and stronger.)”
When my faith crumbled, this is exactly what God led me to do — to systematically evaluate my beliefs using Scripture as my guide. I slowly worked my way through the Bible, primarily looking for who God is and who he says we are as his children. Along the way, I studied other theological and practical faith topics. I learned about Biblical culture using study tools. I compared various Bible passages with each other. I considered commentaries and articles written by Bible scholars across denominations.
For me, deconstruction was a time of deep healing and spiritual renewal. Ultimately, it made space for God to rebuild a stronger faith structure.
When Is Faith Deconstruction a Good Thing?
1. When It Leads Us Toward Christ
Deconstructing can be very painful. Most who set out to deconstruct don’t decide to do it on a whim. Contrary to a popular line of thought, many Christians who chose this process are not looking for license to sin or an excuse to abandon faith.
Most begin deconstruction from a place of deep pain. Some of have been hurt, abused, or manipulated by people in the church or by harmful church systems. Others have experienced life situations which simply don’t fit within their theological framework. Still others wrestle with questions or doubts they feel unable to voice within their faith circles.
Faith deconstruction is a good thing when it helps people encounter Christ. Jesus welcomes those who are hurting. He’s not afraid of doubts or “unspiritual” questions. He loves to reveal his heart and he longs to heal the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18).
2. When It Strips Away What’s Rotten and Unimportant
In my city, our downtown district recently gained a beautiful new theater. Actually, it’s a historic theater that lay in disrepair until it was meticulously restored. Restorationists combed through the building, removing what was rotten and salvaging, cleaning, and polishing all that was worth saving. The result is a stunning performing arts theater that speaks of the glories of Art Deco design.
Faith deconstruction is a good thing when it leads to a similar renewal. God desires to restore as he strips away what’s rotten, tears down the extra trappings that don’t express his heart, and rebuilds faith as he intended — life-giving and soul-mending through his Spirit (Luke 10:41-42).
3. When It Corrects Misunderstandings about God’s Heart
As I began my deconstruction, I was surprised to sense God’s favor and acceptance. My faith was in pieces. My spiritual disciplines were mere shadows of what they’d once been. I was embarrassed to admit I didn’t know what I believed.
Yet throughout that season, I never felt condemnation from God, only grace-filled welcome. I sensed his patience as I wrestled with doubts, his compassion as I worked through my pain, and his hope as he began to reconstruct my faith.
He dazzled my weary soul, and I realized I didn’t know him as well as I thought I did. Though I’d been a Christian for decades, my view of God needed renovation. He beckoned me into Scripture to discover his heart and he healed mine along the way.
Faith deconstruction is a good thing when it causes us to search for God and understand who he says he is (Jeremiah 9:24).
4. When It Moves Us into the Middle Spaces of Faith
The longer I walk with God, the more I realize how small the black and white spaces of faith really are. To be sure, God defines right and wrong in his Word. Truth is not relative. But there are far more gray areas than I used to believe.
In needing decisive answers for every theological question, we can forget that other Spirit-indwelt, Bible-loving Christians hold different perspectives. Deconstruction gives space to step into the middle. Into the freedom of not having an answer for everything. Into the tension of holding paradox gently.
Jewish rabbis speak of a concept called thinking with both hands. Writing about apparent contradictions in the Bible, Lois Tverberg points out that “The rabbis simply embrace the two ideas in tension with each other rather than needing to seek resolution. By doing so, they are actually being true to the text by not ignoring passages that don’t fit their theology. They see that God alone can understand some things.”
Deconstruction is a good thing when it leads us to walk with humility and curiosity in the middle spaces of faith (Colossians 3:12, Romans 14).
5. When It Cultivates Empathy and Compassion
Until my faith fell apart, I didn’t understand the pain of a shattered life. I was quick to offer platitudes and call Christians to just be stronger. Just try harder. Just be more disciplined.
Deconstruction was God’s gift to me. Through it, and through the people who walked it with me, he began changing my self-righteous heart. He cultivated empathy and compassion in my soul. He taught me the value of listening with humility, of just being present, of loving people right where they’re at. He showed me the power of a caring community in helping people walk toward wholeness.
Deconstruction is a good thing when it softens our hearts with the compassion of Christ (Matthew 14:14).
6. When It Fosters Harmony among Christians
Differences in belief can drive deep rifts between brothers and sisters in the family of God. It’s easy to think our way of viewing nonessential issues is the only right way. We forget kindness and humility as we discuss issues of faith.
God wants us to know what we believe — to study his Word, to learn from his Spirit, to be “fully convinced in our own minds” (2 Timothy 2:15, 1 Corinthians 2:13-16, Romans 14:5). But what distinguishes us as his followers, he says, is our love for one another, not our theology (John 13:35).
Deconstruction is a good thing when it leads to unity without uniformity. Faith deepens as we celebrate what we hold in common with other believers. Harmony grows as we seek to understand why others believe as they do. Humility takes root as we learn to embrace the limitations of our own understanding.
4 Practical Tips for Walking Through Deconstruction
1. Drop Anchor
Deconstruction can be very disorienting. To use a second analogy, it can feel like drifting aimlessly in a boat with no land in sight. It’s helpful to anchor yourself during this time.
Because holding onto historical Christianity was important to me, the Bible and the Creeds were my main anchors through deconstruction. I learned to apply responsible Bible study methods so I could understand Scripture in context — with itself and with the culture in which it was written. I also evaluated my beliefs in light of what the Church has taught since its inception, considering the teachings of various denominations as I studied.
2. Look for God
God invites us to walk through deconstruction with him. Far more than a mental exercise, this process can be a time of healing and renewal as we learn from his heart and grow in relationship with him.
The main practice which guided my deconstruction was a search for God through his Word. I chose a read-through-the-Bible plan that let me study at my own pace, and then I simply looked for God, jotting down everything the Bible declared or described about his heart. The journey took me seven years and five journals, and oh, how my heart changed along the way!
3. Be Gentle with Yourself
There’s no timetable for deconstruction. God doesn’t demand that we hurry up and fix our faith so we can get back to work. On the contrary, our gentle and humble Savior desires to rebuild our faith as we engage with him — bringing him our questions, entrusting him with our pain, and learning to live relationally with his Spirit.
4. Find Healthy Community
For those who’ve been hurt in Christian circles, trusting other believers can feel like an impossible goal. Yet God intends faith to be lived out relationally. He knows the importance of being loved and received by fellow humans and he often uses other Christians as his ministers of healing.
Ask God to lead you to a safe community of believers and to teach you what indications of trustworthiness look like. This process will be different for different people. It may not always be within the walls of a church building. It may take more time than you think it should. It may even require talking with a therapist who understands spiritual trauma or joining a cohort with others who are seeking to rebuild their faith.
Be patient with yourself in this process. Don’t rush into new commitments or force yourself to engage in ways that trigger you. Simply allow your heart to be open to God as he leads you into spaces where you can heal.
Faith deconstruction has an important place in the Church. Whether you are deconstructing or walking through it with a loved one, may God work deeply within you to build a strong and flourishing faith.
This article originally appeared on Bible Study Tools, 03/28/2024:
