Walking with Conviction in an Anxious Age

What do you do when God doesn’t answer? When the suffering continues…   prayers go unanswered…   and the silence stretches on? In this episode of Walking with Conviction in an Anxious Age, Pastor Chris Miller walks through Job’s experience of pain, silence, uncertainty, and spiritual tension. This is not a shallow conversation about “everything happens for a reason.”   It’s an honest look at what happens when: - circumstances don’t change - answers don’t come - and faith is tested in the waiting Through the story of Job, we explore: - why uncertainty can feel worse than suffering - how pain disorders our loves - why God doesn’t always explain Himself - how spiritual formation happens in tension - and where lasting peace is actually found If you’ve ever prayed and felt like God was silent, this episode is for you. 🎧 Search and follow Walking with Conviction in an Anxious Age on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. ☕ Support the ministry: https://buymeacoffee.com/walking_with_conviction #ChristianPodcast #Faith #Suffering #SpiritualFormation #TrustGod #Anxiety #BibleTeaching #Job #SpiritualWarfare #ChristianLiving

What do you do when you’re hurting—but don’t know what to say to God? In this episode of Walking with Conviction in an Anxious Age, we continue our series on suffering by exploring one of the most overlooked — but deeply biblical — responses to pain: lament. Many people have been taught that strong faith means staying quiet, avoiding questions, or pushing through suffering without expressing it. But Scripture shows us something very different. Looking at Job, the Psalms, and Lamentations, we see that God invites us to bring our pain to Him, speak honestly, and ask bold questions, even when we don’t understand what He is doing. In this episode, we explore: What lament is and why it matters How to talk to God when you’re hurting Why asking questions is not a lack of faith How to trust God without pretending everything is okay How to support others who are struggling If you’ve ever felt like you couldn’t be honest with God or didn’t know how, this episode will help you take a step toward a deeper, more genuine faith. If this ministry is helping you and you’d like to support it, you’re welcome to do so here: 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/walking_with_conviction There’s no obligation—just an opportunity to be part of what God is doing.

What if the things we say about God, especially in moments of suffering, are actually doing more harm than good? In this episode of Walking with Conviction in an Anxious Age, we continue our journey through the Book of Job by confronting a difficult truth: good intentions don’t always lead to good outcomes. When Job’s friends finally speak, they sound wise, experienced, and confident. But instead of helping, they wound, because they make assumptions about God and speak with certainty where they shouldn’t. This episode explores how bad theology often comes from truth that is wrongly applied, and how our words, especially in someone else’s suffering, can either reflect God’s character or misrepresent Him. In this episode, we cover: Why assumptions about God can be harmful How Job’s friends got it wrong (and why we often do too) The difference between truth and right application Why speaking with certainty can damage people How to support someone in suffering without trying to fix them If you’ve ever struggled to know what to say when someone is hurting or if you’ve been hurt by what others have said, this episode will help you respond with greater wisdom, humility, and care. If this ministry is helping you and you’d like to support it, you’re welcome to do so here: 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/walking_with_conviction There’s no obligation—just an opportunity to be part of what God is doing.

Why do we try so hard to control what we were never meant to control? In this episode of Walking with Conviction in an Anxious Age, we continue our series on suffering by confronting another deeply held, but ultimately false, belief—the illusion of control. Most of us wouldn’t say we’re in control, but we live like we are. We make plans, manage outcomes, and assume we know what tomorrow will bring… until something happens that reminds us we don’t. Looking at Job 2, we see what happens when control is stripped away completely. Through Job’s response—and the contrast with his wife—we discover how suffering exposes our need for control, and how real faith is formed when we learn to trust God instead. In this episode, we explore: Why suffering is often beyond our control How the illusion of control shapes our faith What the story of Job teaches about trust in suffering Why trying to “fix” suffering often makes it worse How to support others without trying to control their pain If you’re facing something you can’t fix, can’t explain, or can’t control—this episode will help you find a steadier place to stand.  If this episode helped you, consider sharing it with someone who may be carrying more than they’re letting on.  If this ministry has helped you and you’d like to support it, you’re welcome to do so here: https://buymeacoffee.com/walking_with_conviction There’s no pressure—just an opportunity to be part of what God is doing.    

Why does doing the right thing still lead to suffering? In this episode of Walking with Conviction in an Anxious Age, we begin a new series through the Book of Job by confronting a common belief many Christians carry—that obedience to God should lead to protection, blessing, and an easier life. But what happens when that’s not true? Looking at Job 1–2, we explore what the Bible actually teaches about suffering, why righteousness doesn’t guarantee comfort, and how to trust God when life doesn’t make sense. This episode will help you move from confusion to clarity and build a faith that remains steady, even in pain. In this episode, we cover: Why doing the right thing doesn’t prevent suffering What the Book of Job teaches about pain and faith How false beliefs about God make suffering harder How to trust God without needing an explanation How to find peace in difficult seasons If you’ve ever asked, “Why is this happening to me?”—this episode will help you think differently about suffering and trust God more deeply. If this episode helped you, share it with someone who might be quietly struggling.

The other night, I sent a message to the wrong person. Not catastrophic… but enough to remind me how quickly things can go sideways when we lose control of an outcome. And that’s the real issue. Most of us are trying to manage outcomes, protect an image, or avoid discomfort - and it’s exhausting. Because no matter how hard we try… we can’t control everything. In this final message of Ordered Love, we get to the root of it: It’s not your circumstances that need to change— it’s what your life is built on. We all: • Trust something • Give highest value to something • Shape our lives around something • Find our identity in something The question is simple—but confronting: Can it actually carry the weight of your life? Because whatever sits at the centre of your life… is already forming you.   This episode will help you: ✔ Understand why life can feel chaotic even when things look fine ✔ Identify what you’re really trusting and building your life on ✔ Recognise modern “idols” that quietly shape your direction ✔ Reorient your life toward something that won’t collapse under pressure   You don’t need a new system. You don’t need better circumstances. You need a rightly ordered love.

Love isn’t just something you feel — it’s something you practice. In this episode, we explore Faithful Love through the example of Jesus in John 13. Love when it’s hard Stay steady under pressure Move toward people instead of away This is love that is formed over time — and it changes everything. 👉 Follow for more messages on faith, formation, and living with purpose.

You don’t just wake up wanting what you want. This week in Ordered Loves, we explore what shapes our desires — and how God reshapes them. If you don’t choose what forms you, something else will.

Why do we overreact or feel overwhelmed when we know it's not warranted?   Often, it’s not just stress — we're loving good things in the wrong order.  In this episode we're exploring how the order of our loves shapes our peace, clarity, and reactions.

In a world more connected than ever, many people still feel increasingly isolated. Podcasts, online content, and digital communities can be helpful — but they can’t replace genuine, face-to-face belonging. So why does church still matter? In this episode, we explore why God designed believers to live out faith in community, not isolation. Drawing from Philippians, we look at how the local church shapes identity, produces transformation, and helps us grow through the tensions we often try to avoid. If you’ve ever wondered whether church is really necessary — or struggled with disappointment, frustration, or past hurt — this conversation offers a deeper perspective on why faith was never meant to be lived alone. If this episode encourages you, consider sharing it with someone searching for connection and purpose.

Not every tension in the Christian life is meant to be solved. Some are meant to be held. This week, we are wrestling with one of the most challenging tensions believers face: liberty and holiness.   What happens when sincere Christians love Jesus, honour Scripture, and still land differently? What if growth doesn’t come from choosing a side, but from learning to remain calm, loving, and faithful in the tension God allows?   Romans 14 reminds us that formation happens not when tension disappears, but when love governs how we live with one another.   If faith ever feels complicated, uncomfortable, or slow—this message is for you.

Ever been curious about what a pastor does during the week? This week, Pastor Chris is talking candidly about it, tying it with the tension between faithfulness and harvest that all believers wrestle with. What does success look like for a Christian? We’re often tempted to measure success by results. Scripture tells a different story. Faithfulness is obedience - Producing a harvest is God’s work. When we confuse the two, we drift into anxiety, manipulation, or discouragement. God forms people through unseen obedience before visible fruit.

Authority isn’t domination - Servanthood isn’t weakness. Jesus shows us a better way, strength used to serve and leadership willing to bleed. Gentle for the sheep. Dangerous for the wolves.

Tension isn’t something to escape. And it isn’t always something to solve. In this episode, we begin a new series exploring the tensions God intentionally holds together—tensions people keep trying to resolve, but can’t. We look at Tradition and Progress, and why nostalgia and novelty are both shortcuts that promise relief but quietly undermine formation. Scripture doesn’t call us backward or forward into anxiety—it calls us to remain present, faithful, and settled before God.   Spiritual maturity doesn’t come from eliminating tension. It grows as we learn to stay calm, grounded, and obedient within it.   God is not anxious. And neither should we be. If you’ve ever felt pressure to choose sides, fix everything, or escape discomfort, this conversation will help you recognise the difference between a problem to solve and a tension God may be using to form you.

Two sons. Two ways of living. One feast. In Luke 15, Jesus exposes how both conformity and rebellion can leave us standing outside the celebration. The difference isn’t behaviour.  This week, we’re looking at why one brother joined the feast and the other wouldn't. Learn why the Gospel isn’t just the beginning of Christian life—it’s the whole thing.

We all live with images in our minds. Images of success, nostalgia, a version of life where everything feels right. But when those images become our hope and what we serve, they become idols. And idols always disappoint. Jesus didn’t come to fulfil an imagined version of ‘home’. But to bring us to the place we truly belong.

Why does extreme religious ideology continue to fracture modern Western culture?   Jesus answered that question millennia ago by exposing the heart of the older brother.   Week 3 of The Prodigal Son Decision — The Realisation of Need

The prodigal son story isn’t just about rebellion; it’s also about the kind of obedience that can leave us just as lost. This week, we look at how doing everything right can still leave us far from God.  

Most people know the story of the prodigal son. Fewer realise it’s actually a story about two lost sons. This week: 'Departure - The Illusion of Independence' where we'll be exploring how independence from God—whether through rebellion or obedience—promises freedom but quietly leaves us isolated. Join us online as we open Luke 15 and ask an honest question: Where do you see yourself in the story?

Hope is more than a feeling. It isn’t something we work up when life gets dark. Biblical hope is sure. Something God promised and delivered. If you’re weary, uncertain, or carrying more than you should, this promise is for you. Listen in as we look at God’s promise of hope — sure, steady, and everlasting.

Jesus is the Saviour, the Christ, and the Lord - Three titles. One message.   Salvation isn’t a system, a strategy, or a self-improvement plan — it’s a gift. A gift God promised from the very beginning and fulfilled in Jesus. This week we explore what each title, Saviour, Christ and Lord means and why it matters: This is good news of great joy for all people, and — as the angel said — for unto you a Saviour is born. Discover the ancient promise of salvation fulfilled in Jesus.

Culture keeps telling us love is just a feeling. Floating. Romantic. Sentimental. But God doesn’t love like that. When the Bible talks about God’s love, it’s covenant. It’s promise. It’s action. It’s stability.   Romans 5:8 says, ‘But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’   That’s not simply a mood or sentiment. That’s God keeping an ancient promise He made long before we ever thought of Him. This week, we look to the God who makes the promise, keeps the promise, and becomes the stability we stand on.

Joy isn’t the same as happiness. Happiness comes and goes as circumstances change. This week, we’re looking at Luke 1:46–55, where a young girl reveals a joy that doesn’t stem from comfort, control, or certainty, but from God’s faithful promises.   If you’re tired, discouraged, or feeling like joy is out of reach, this is for you. Joy isn’t a mood you chase or a mask you wear. Joy is Someone you know.

We’re looking back at the promises God spoke long before Bethlehem. This week, we begin A Story of Ancient Promises — and the fulfilment of those promises.   Our team has been preparing for this for some time — not to make the upcoming Christmas season bigger, but to help bring meaning and clarity. We don’t measure this season by numbers. We measure it by stories - stories of peace restored, joy rekindled, and hope rediscovered.

This week, we conclude our 'From Paper to Purpose' series with a vital reminder: God gets the glory.   In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul addresses a divided church that had begun to glorify people instead of God. Some followed Paul, others Apollos, but Paul brings everyone back to the truth: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.”   As we live out our shared purpose and values, we marvel at what God accomplishes and find joy in serving together, not for our own recognition, but so that Jesus receives all the glory.

So many people come to faith communities carrying pain, exhaustion, or disillusionment from performance-based religion. This week, we return to the beginning — Genesis 1— to rediscover what God says about human worth. Before He gave humanity a task, He gave us identity. You are created in the image of God — valued and blessed before you ever “do” anything. Join us this Sunday as we explore how to build a community that values people not only for productivity, but foremost, for the divine image they bear.

This Week, we’re exploring what it means to serve with strength, joy, and resilience — and how to actually do it. 1 Thessalonians 5 reminds us to stay awake, steady, prayerful, and grateful — habits that build teams that are strong, joyful, resilient, and fully reliant on the strength of Jesus.

Words like diversity, equity, and inclusion are terms we’ve heard frequently in recent times. However, I think when you take a closer look, those words are often more about demands, compliance and conformity than anything else. This week, we’re talking about what diversity looks like in our church context and how diversity (not conformity) makes us stronger, and how each person’s contribution matters. -PC

This week, we're back to in-person recording and continuing our 'From Paper to Purpose' series with a timely reminder: We don’t just build ministries — we build people. Ministries are tools. People are eternal. God’s design is not just about filling schedules, but about transforming lives — investing in clarity, care, and spiritual confidence.

Some have been given the false impression that church is about conformity; in reality, it’s about harmony. This week we’re in Romans 15:1–7, learning how spiritually strong people carry the weak, how Jesus welcomed us first (at great cost), and how a culture of grace creates harmony, not uniformity. If you’ve been hurt by “fit in or get out,” listen in and hear why the gospel says, ‘Welcome, let Jesus do the forming.’ We’re making room for you.

After a week of raw headlines, strong opinions, and not knowing who or what to believe, many of us find ourselves standing at a crossroads. This week, we walk through Romans 12:9-21 and learn how to love without pretence, bless instead of curse, and overcome evil with good. If you’re looking for a Christ-shaped way to process grief, anger, and division—and to live it out—listen in.

This Father’s Day, we’re looking at what it means to live with purpose—not pressure. Our shared value this week: “We are motivated by purpose, not compulsion.” Serving out of guilt, fear, or manipulation drains you physically, mentally and spiritually. When we are motivated by our God-given purpose, we find the strength to persevere and the courage to say a firm “no” to compulsion.

Everyone is searching for hope. Some look for it in success, others in relationships, or in a better tomorrow, but eventually all of those break or fade. At Hinterland, we believe real, lasting hope is found in Jesus. This Sunday, in our series From Paper to Purpose, we’ll explore what it means to carry the hope of the Gospel into a broken world — not just in our words, but in the way we live, respond, and serve.

Who are you… really? If you lost everything—your possessions, your job, even your reputation—what would remain? Many spend their lives building identity on what they own, what they achieve, or what others think, only to discover those foundations are fragile, fleeting, and often conflicting. At Hinterland, we believe true unity comes from shared values and purpose anchored in our shared identity in Christ. This week, we continue our series ‘From Paper to Purpose’ as we explore what it means to find our identity in Jesus—and live it out together.

Week 1: Purpose   Without a shared purpose and values, we drift aimlessly—eventually colliding with something we didn’t see coming. But when we embody the Gospel, reflect Christ’s character, and serve His purpose, we move in the same direction together—united, strong, and effective for God’s Kingdom.

This week, we wrap up our Trust Issues series with another eternal truth: Joy flows from generous living.   When we trust God with our treasure, time, and talents, He promises to supply all we need and more so we can overflow into every good work (2 Corinthians 9:6–8).   Listen in to be encouraged, challenged, and equipped to live generously. 

The parable of the talents isn’t just about ability. It’s about trust. We’ve all been given gifts, resources, and opportunities. The question is: are we hiding them out of fear, or putting them to work in faith? Listen in as we talk about how to use your talents faithfully as tools so they don’t end up as burdens or missed opportunities.

Life feels chaotic when your schedule is filled with chaos. Paul says, ‘Walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise men, making the most of the time’ It’s time to spend some time evicting time-thieves, like fear, procrastination, and endless scrolling. Listen in this week for ‘Trust Issues: God, Time and Me’ as we look at how to reclaim your time.

Most of us aren’t chasing a fortune—we just want a little more than we have. But once we get it, we soon find we want a little more. “A little more” is never enough when you believe it will bring satisfaction. It’s a cycle that leaves us anxious and craving peace, but we keep thinking ‘a little more’ and we’ll be satisfied.   This week, we’re looking at what fuels the insatiable desire for more, why it never delivers, and how to break free from the loop. Because what we truly want isn’t more stuff, but freedom from the desire for more.

Hope isn’t a feeling, it’s an anchor. Not built on emotion, but truth. Not self-made, but God-given. Not wishful, but confident. Trade a self-reliant feeling for a confidence anchored in the promises of God.

Welcome to Strong and Still Day 7 - Hope. Part 7 of a 7-day Bible meditation program designed to help you build a resilient faith. 

Life will test you. The question is: will you bend or break?   A resilient faith absorbs pressure, grows through trials, and stands firm on the promises of God.   Resilience isn’t about being tough—it’s about who or what you trust when times are tough.   Join us today as we explore cultivating a resilient response to life’s challenges, founded in unwavering confidence in God.

#519 - Strong & Still Day 6 - Resilient Faith   Welcome to Day 6 of Strong and Still, “Resilient Faith" a 7-part Bible meditation series designed to strengthen your faith and calm your soul.    Feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or constantly rushed? Are you seeking peace? This is for you.   Take a few minutes. Listen and learn resilient faith. An additional resource for the series 'Strong and Still - Rest, Reflection and Renewal for a Resilient Faith'

Listen as we continue our Strong & Still series with Day 5: The Practice of Love – Becoming More Like Christ. Discover how biblical love is more than emotion; it's a resilient, life-giving choice that shapes who we are and how we live.  https://linktr.ee/pcspeaking?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=6d2b652f-e040-4a31-a1a0-b933e3599899  

Welcome to 'Strong & Still Day 5 - Love'   Strong & Still is a 7-part daily Bible meditation series designed to help you strengthen your faith and calm your soul. Feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or constantly rushed? Are you seeking peace? This is for you. 
Take a few minutes, listen and find peace. An additional resource for the series 'Strong & Still - Rest, Reflection, and Renewal for a Resilient Faith'    https://linktr.ee/pcspeaking?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=6d2b652f-e040-4a31-a1a0-b933e3599899  

Strong & Still – Part 4: Receiving and Extending Forgiveness — Living in Freedom   This week, we’re tackling something at the very centre of the Gospel: forgiveness. So many people remain trapped in guilt, bitterness, and old wounds, but Christ calls us to experience the freedom of forgiveness.   Listen and discover what forgiveness is (and what it isn’t), how to receive it, how to extend it to others, and how to live in the freedom that comes with it.

Welcome to 'Strong & Still Day 4 - Forgiveness'  Strong & Still is a 7-part daily Bible meditation series designed to help you strengthen your faith and calm your soul. Feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or constantly rushed? Are you seeking peace? This is for you.  Take a few minutes, listen and find peace. An additional resource for the series 'Strong & Still - Rest, Reflection, and Renewal for a Resilient Faith'    https://linktr.ee/pcspeaking?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=6d2b652f-e040-4a31-a1a0-b933e3599899  

Strong & Still — Part 3: Replacing Anxiety with Peace Most of us think peace will come when things calm down. Peace is not passive; it grows as we establish a rhythm of life that fosters peace. Peace is not found in control, but in being close to Christ. Joyful resilience, prayerful rest, disciplined thinking, and obedient living are patterns we can cultivate in our lives that will help us achieve just that. 

Welcome to 'Strong & Still Day 3 - Replacing Anxiety with Peace'  Strong & Still is a 7-part daily Bible meditation series designed to help you strengthen your faith and calm your soul. Feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or constantly rushed? Are you seeking peace? This is for you.  Take a few minutes. Listen. Be thankful in everything. An additional resource for the series 'Strong & Still - Rest, Reflection, and Renewal for a Resilient Faith'      https://linktr.ee/pcspeaking?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=6d2b652f-e040-4a31-a1a0-b933e3599899