Patheos

BuddhistCatholicContemplativeEvangelicalGeneral ChristianHinduJewishLatter-day SaintMuslimNew VisionsProgressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Patheos

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

michelehowewrites

Faith Is falling Into The Arms Of Jesus Come What May

Last updated on: September 21, 2026 at 5:34 pm   by Michele Howe

0 Comments

Faith Is falling Into The Arms Of Jesus Come What May 2026-09-21T17:34:36-05:00 Michele Howe

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Faith Over Fear

                         Faith Over Fear 

 

If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.

Isaiah 7: 9

 

Faith is not the presence of warm religious feelings. It’s the knowledge that you walk before the God who hears.

Edward Welch

 

 

My husband and I were on our way to the largest hospital in our city. It was snowing, windy, and an overall blustery kind of day that begged a person to stay put inside…safe and warm. On that rather treacherous drive in, neither of us felt much of those “safe and warm” emotions. Just a week before, my husband had received news from his physician that his biopsy revealed melanoma in situ (the melanoma part is bad – the in-situ part is good because it meant the cancer hadn’t spread).

Falling Into The Arms of Jesus

So, there we were traveling to the hospital for his procedure to remove the cancerous cells and the surrounding tissue. In and out. That’s what the nurse said it would be for my hubby. In and out. To my mind, it was a whole lot more. The entire situation reminded me of a set of dominos placed carefully in a line on the floor. Once the first domino was hit, the entire line toppled over. Receiving an unwanted diagnosis of any kind (or bad news of any sort) is unsettling but it can grow out of proportion if we allow our fearful (faithless) imaginations to take over.

God Is Our Blessed Controller

I had done my own private bit of wrestling over Jim’s diagnosis and kept repeating to myself that, “God is the Blessed Controller” of all things. God knew the exact moment when the first cell went awry and began to multiply into cancer. God was far more than distantly aware of my husband’s prognosis, he was near. God was here. The more I rehearsed that truth and others like it, the calmer and more peaceful I felt. Then again, it wasn’t me who was diagnosed with melanoma. So, I asked my husband what he was thinking and feeling.

Jim told me that it had taken him a few days to process the word, “cancer” and even after that, he sort of felt unmoored and a bit shocked. Jim’s colleagues gathered around him and prayed for him the day before his scheduled surgery. One teacher sensed my husband felt afraid and prayed that God would replace any fear with perfect peace. Jim later relayed that conversation to me and believed his colleague’s prayer was effective because he hadn’t lost any sleep and honestly felt no anxiety.

Still, Jim continued on saying he was trying to define how faith entered into the equation. Was faith a set of warm, fuzzy emotions that sheltered us from bad news? Or was faith more of a quiet confidence in God’s perfect plan and care for us that had nothing to do with emotion? One or the other? Both?

We Can Let Go Of Fear Through Faith In Christ

After a few minutes of silence, my husband reported that the previous evening he had leisurely read the newspaper and watched a program on television while appreciating the fact he was able to sleep in a little later than normal the following morning because of the procedure time. Jim remarked that he had thoroughly enjoyed the whole evening because deep inside he knew God was in control. So, he was able to let it go and fully enjoy the moment free of worry, anxiety and fear. That…I thought to myself…that’s what faith looks like, a letting go of fear and falling into the arms of Jesus come what may.

 

*     *     *

 

Faith – that elusive sense of inner-well-being that each of us longs for and looks for whenever we face any unexpected and frightening news. Faith is the intersection of inner-well-being and peace that reigns in our hearts and minds despite harrowing circumstances and the dreaded unknown. Good to understand, but how do we get to that place of peace?

Faith Can Overcome Every Fear

Referring back to my imaginary domino scenario, consider that in the same way one tiny bit of pressure administered in just the right way can trigger unwanted changes into our lives so paradoxically can one Person (Jesus) do the same (trigger blessed changes). Certainly, when we are faced with unwanted and terrifying news, our emotions respond in kind. Hearing that my husband had cancer didn’t have me jumping for joy…it had me on my knees. If I had continued to allow my fearful imaginings to grow, I would have been undone by the what-ifs. By God’s grace, he reminded me (through scripture I have read, studied, and memorized) of his faithful and constant love for me (and my husband).

When Our World Shakes, God Is Our Steady Anchor

Just as one phone call, conversation, letter, or text can serve to shatter our world, Jesus is the One Blessed Controller who can (and will) steady us as our life shifts and shakes beneath our feet. God’s part is to be in control over every detail of our lives. Our part is to trust him with every detail of our lives. The strain comes when we attempt to wrestle with God over who is in control. As I willingly surrender to God’s perfect plan for me, his grace floods in like a mighty stream, as does the peace that passes all understanding.

On that snowy, windy, and overall blustery kind of day en route to the hospital, my husband and I both quieted our souls by asking the Lord to rule over the morning as he saw fit. We asked him to guide the surgeon’s hands, give him divine wisdom, and to help us to forget about ourselves while we were there so that we could be a blessing to others. Does that final request seem out of place? After all, my husband does have cancer and I am his spouse. Still, we have learned over the years that in the thick of the hardest and most terrifying moments that the best way to “get through” is to focus on meeting the needs of others. God’s part plus our part equals faith and peace and grace enough for any and every storm of life.

 

Take-away Action Thought

When my life takes a sudden and scary turn, I will do my part and meditate on scripture and pray for a robust faith to overcome any and all fears confident that God hears me when I call.

 

My Heart’s Cry to You, O Lord

Father, when I received this news, I felt my heart begin to beat faster and harder than is good for this body of mine. I don’t want to react to bad news in a way that causes me to doubt you and your perfect provision for my life. Help me to take captive any and all thoughts and imaginings that rise up within me. My part is to discipline my wayward imaginings that tempt me to distrust your plan for my life. I bring you all my worries, fears, and anxieties. I lay them at your feet and ask you to cover me with your perfect peace today and forevermore. Amen.

 

Faith Steps

  1. I will do a topical search through the bible to read as many verses as possible which I can that include the word, “faith,” in them to better understand what this term means.
  2. Once I have found three verses on faith that stand out to me and I will write them on cards to carry with me through the day.
  3. Each evening of this week, I will review my three faith verses and share their encouraging truths with at least one other person.

 

 

General Christian

Family, Parenting and Religion

personal devotion

brave faith

faith is abandoning fear

fall into the arms of Jesus

About Michele Howe

Michele Howe is the author of 31 books for women, children, and families. She has published over 3000 articles, reviews, and curricula. Read Michele's newest release, Brave Faith for Hard Things! You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post



September 14, 2026

Faith That Outlives You

Next Post



September 28, 2026 Trusting God With The Uncertainties Of Life

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"It all depends how you look at deconstruction. Healthy deconstruction is tearing down what is ..."

Patrick Dennis


Obedience To God Cannot Be Deconstructed

"How should the faithful Christian react when he has tried to be kind; tried to ..."

Montana Farmer


God Calls Us To Love Those ..."

"Biblically, there are not multiple dimensions or worlds. That is why the Bible states there ..."

Glen B Smith


We Are Spiritual Beings In A ..."

"I like this and it is so right. As well as fighting for joy it’s ..."

Adrian Warnock


Fight For Joy- Discovering Peace In ..."


Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Michele's Reviews personal devotion Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023


Follow Us!

Follow Us on Twitter



TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Be strong and work, for I am with you. My Spirit remains among you according to what covenant?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The Mosaic covenant The new covenant The Abrahamic Covenant The covenant made when Israel came out of Egypt

Books by This Author Books by Michele Howe Writes and Reviews

See All Titles »

Related posts from Michele Howe Writes and Reviews

Family

It Is Written – Keeping An Account Of...

Michele Howe Writes and Reviews

Family

When We Walk Through Grief, God Walks With...

Michele Howe Writes and Reviews

Family

Michele's Reviews - Sweet, Sweet Sleep - We...

Michele Howe Writes and Reviews

Family

Trusting God With The Uncertainties Of Life

Michele Howe Writes and Reviews

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Evangelical

Come and See: The Power of a Simple...

Welcome back to the final edition of the Graceful Awakening mini-series called,...

Roman Bath(s)-- Part Three

The more one studies this site, the more one realize it was...

Tolkien, Resurrection of the Body, & Trangenderism

I address this article to Catholics who believe that transgender identity reflects...

Meaninglessness: On Ecclesiastes 1:2–11

The River Does Not Need to Arrive Ecclesiastes 1:2–11 A contemporary rendering...

Pope Leo: Is it Possible to Have Joy...

I can't shut things down for the Sabbath without sharing this message...

The Early Church Fathers on Prayers for Government...

How Early Christian Writers Followed the Apostolic Mandates In the first article...

view all Evangelical blogs

What Are Your Thoughts?leave a comment

Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Copyright 2008-2026, Patheos. All rights reserved.

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube