Have you ever noticed how, when things get tough, our first instinct is often to go into survival mode? We start doing whatever we can to just get through the day, holding on by a thread and hoping we’ll make it to the next moment. But here’s the thing—surviving and thriving are two very different things. Michael Walker’s message this past weekend, “Celebrating The Goodness and Faithfulness of God,” was a reminder that God doesn’t just want us to survive—He wants us to trust Him, even when things seem impossible.
Michael shared a powerful point: “We tend to forget about His goodness and faithfulness when we go through a trial or a challenge in life. We kind of revert back to our survival modes.” Does that sound familiar? It does to me! When things get overwhelming, I know I’ve been guilty of going into “just get by” mode, forgetting that God’s faithfulness doesn’t depend on my circumstances.
This is where Isaiah 58:6-8 comes in. In this passage, God calls His people to live beyond mere survival and to trust Him in deeper ways:
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.”
God’s vision for us is so much bigger than simply making it through the day. He calls us to trust Him for healing, provision, and breakthrough—not just for ourselves, but for others, too.
Michael shared how Church in the City’s early days were marked by a choice: they could have easily stayed in survival mode, especially given their modest beginnings. But instead, they trusted God. When they had nothing but faith and a borrowed storefront, God began showing up in miraculous ways. People they had never met came forward to provide everything they needed to grow—carpet, air conditioning, even skilled laborers. That wasn’t survival mode; that was trust mode.
So, what about you? Where in your life are you just trying to survive when God is calling you to trust Him for something more? It’s easy to get stuck in survival mode, but God’s faithfulness has no limits. He’s asking us to step out of survival and into faith.
Take a moment to think about this: What’s one area in your life where you’ve been holding on for dear life, just trying to make it through? What would it look like to trust God in that area instead of trying to control it yourself?
Michael’s message was clear: when we stop trying to survive on our own strength and start trusting God’s faithfulness, that’s when we move from simply getting by to experiencing God’s abundance.
Let’s pray: Father, I confess that there are times when I try to handle everything on my own, going into survival mode and forgetting that You are my strength. Lord, I ask for Your help to trust You more deeply. I know that Your plans for me are so much greater than just making it through the day. You want me to live in Your abundance, not just in my own strength. Help me to remember that You are faithful, even when I can’t see the full picture. Teach me to lean on You, knowing that Your provision is more than enough. Thank You for being with me in every trial and for guiding me toward Your light. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
God doesn’t want us to stay in survival mode. He wants us to trust Him, to live in the fullness of His faithfulness, and to believe that He is working in ways beyond our imagination. Just like Church in the City moved from a place of survival to a place of thriving by trusting in God’s provision, we are called to do the same.
Call to Action: Consider sharing this devotional with someone who might need encouragement today. Check out the podcast replay of this message on your favorite podcast platform. Search for “CITCBA Insights” today. You can listen at churchinthecity.org/podcasts. And if you’re in the area, join us at Church in the City for one of our services. Our Saturday service at 10 a.m. has a Messianic theme, and our Sunday contemporary service starts at 10:45 a.m. Church in the City began as an outreach in the early 80s and became a church in 1991, dedicated to reflecting Christ in our community and the world.