Faith Over Fear, David On The Run

What if the safer choice is the one that slowly starves your calling? We follow David into 1 Samuel 21–22, where a single panic-driven lie cascades into heartbreak, and we hold that mirror up to modern life: money worries, career pivots, student loans, and the quiet ways fear keeps us stuck. I open up about shelving a tidy side business, facing down the “you’re too late” script, and choosing the vulnerable path that actually aligns with the gifts God has made obvious over time.

Together, we trace the anatomy of fear: how urgency silences prayer, how control masquerades as wisdom, and how survival mode can feel righteous while robbing us of obedience. Then we map the other road. We talk about practical faith—praying before planning, naming concrete next steps, and acting on gentle confirmations that often arrive through mentors, friends, and surprising conversations. 

If you’re weighing a leap, this conversation offers clear takeaways: fear feels safer, but faith unlocks provision already waiting down the path. Expect thoughtful scripture insight, real-world examples about debt and credentials, and a prayer to ground your courage. If this spoke to you, subscribe for weekly devotionals, share it with someone who needs courage today, and leave a review to help others find the show. What step of faith will you take this week?

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Podcast Music by: prazkhanal
Song: Whip

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Purpose
• 0:28 Origin Of The Devotional
• 1:45 Theme: Fear Over Faith
• 1:45 David On The Run
• 2:26 David’s Lie And Its Fallout
• 3:16 Saul’s Rage And Nob’s Tragedy
• 4:10 David’s Accountability
• 4:53 A Personal Crossroads
• 6:07 Calling Vs. Comfort
• 7:42 Confirmations And Counsel
• 8:25 Invitation To Step Out In Faith
• 9:48 Prayer And Blessing
• 11:58 Closing And Next Week’s Tease

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Hello, hello. You're listening to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast, episode 74. This week's devotional is titled David and I chose Fear Over Faith. Let's go. Hi, I'm Jesse Morgan. I used to just share home decor and renovation tips on social media, but now I'm sharing something even closer to my heart. My journey in love for Jesus Christ, my Savior. Welcome to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Hawk Podcast. This is a weekly devotional I started back in May 2024, but the inspiration for it came much earlier. It was rooted in a faith journey that began when my daughter was born four months early in 2023. Through that challenging time, God worked in ways that truly amazed me. On this podcast, I share personal stories of faith woven together with Scripture to show just how incredible God's word can be in our everyday lives. My hope is that through these stories, you'll be encouraged, uplifted, and reminded of God's love and presence, no matter what you're going through. So I invite you to spend less than 15 minutes with me each week as we reflect on these devotionals together. Let's all pray within. David and I chose fear over faith. Key passages. This week, woo! I was struggling. I really was struggling to see how this message or these chapters really tied together. But honestly, in just the last hour, God gave me clarity. And what he showed me actually connects to a really personal story of mine. So here we go. We're diving into 1 Samuel chapters 21 and 22. We're continuing the story of David, and which I call these two chapters, David on the Run. Last week we talked about the deep relationship between David and Jonathan. You know, Jonathan being King Saul's son, the heir to the throne. Um Jonathan yet was willing to surrender that because he knew God had chosen David to be next king, to be the next king. And of course, King Saul couldn't handle that. He was jealous, threatened, and full of rage towards David, even though David had done nothing wrong. And at that point, we know Jonathan and David hugged, embraced, and David went on the run. So now we're in 1 Samuel 21:1, and um David arrives at Knop terrified and running for his life. He meets Ahimelech, the priest, who is nervous when he sees David alone and asks, Why are you by yourself? Instead of telling the truth, David lies, saying he's on a secret mission for King Saul and needs food and weapons. You can almost hear the fear behind his words, the kind of panic that makes you say whatever you have to say just to get through that moment. And Ahimelech believes him and gives him holy bread from the table of the Lord, as mentioned in 1 Samuel 21.6. And he also gives David the sword of Goliath, the same one David used years earlier to defeat the giant, which is said in 1 Samuel 21 9. David thinks he's outsmarted the situation, but what he doesn't realize is that someone was watching, Doeg of Ebonite, one of Saul's officials. Later in 1 Samuel 22 9 through 19, Doeg reports everything to Saul, twisting the story to make it sound like Ahimelech helped David betray the king. And in his jealousy and rage, Saul accused Ahimelech of treason. Ahimelech pleads his innocence, which he was innocent, saying he had no idea what was going on. But Saul refused to listen. And in that moment, Saul ordered Doag to kill not only Ahimelech, but 85 priests, plus their families and the entire town of Nob. It's one of the darkest moments in Saul's story, I feel. A king consumed by fear and envy. And one man escapes, and it is um Abathar, which is Ahimelech's son. He runs to David around 1 Samuel 22, 20, and he runs and he runs to David and he tells him what happened. And when David hears this news, David's heart breaks. He says in 1 Samuel 22, I knew that day when Doag the Ammonite was there, that he would surely tell Saul, I have caused the death of all the persons of your father's house. David takes full responsibility and he's devastated, realizing that this small little lie, the moment of fear instead of faith, had devastating consequences. And that's where the story lies with me, because um I've had my own Ahimelech moments, times when fear made me act before I prayed for the for the blessing. Um, a few weeks ago, I mentioned that I had been wrestling with a side business I was planning with my mom. I was really diving into the side business because I wanted to have extra income to support my family. That was literally the reason for it. And my mom got excited about it. I f and I started to feel bad because she got emotionally invested. But the more I thought about this business, the more I realized my heart was just was just not in it. I had to be honest with myself and with her, and it wasn't what God was telling me to do. That was hard because I love my mom and I know she was looking forward to it. But lately I've realized what truly lights me up is home renovations and interior design. I absolutely love it. And people that are close to me know that. And if I'm being real, I've been scared. I've been scared to step into that world, to invest in it, to make it more than just, you know, social media. Interior designers have degrees, certifications, high-end clients, and honestly, sometimes they come off as intimidating or even unwelcoming, to be honest. And as a 38-year-old mom, I've had those thoughts like, how can I start now? I can't go back to square one. What if I fail? What if I owe all this money in the end? My mom even said, just take out a business loan. But that idea terrifies me. The thought of debt, your credit being affected, all of that is at risk and it's just unknown. And then it really, you know, it's like it hit me. My version of fear over faith isn't running from Saul or lying to a priest, it's letting finances and comfort dictate my my journey, my obedience. It's saying, no, that's too risky. Instead of saying, God, if you called me, you'll make a way. And that's my survival mode. That's my David moment because fear doesn't look like running all the time, it can look like you just standing still. It looks like you're settling. But here's the thing God has provided so much for me this year. Our daughter just started school and we prayed for that. He's been faithful in ways I can't even imagine. Financially, even. So why would I doubt him now? I have to really sit back and think about that. Why now? When I went to San Diego a few months ago, uh about a month ago, God surrounded me with confirmation. I met a man named Ash, one of the early pioneers in the tech world who helped develop targeting algorithms. And he even told me that you have such strong people skills. You should be leading and connecting people. Then the same week, I spent time with a coworker who's also such a strong mentor for me and a friend, and one of my best friends, I had a long conversation with Chris Rogers. None of them knew what I had been praying about, but every single one of them spoke words that lined up perfectly. It was like God was saying, You already know what I told you to do. Now trust me and go do it. And maybe that's where you are today. Maybe God's been nudging you to take a step of faith, to start the thing, forgive the person, apply for the job, or simply believe he can do what he promised for you. But fear keeps whispering, it's too risky, it's too risky. Friend, whoever is listening, fear will always feel safer. I'm gonna say that again. Fear will always fear. Fear will always feel safer. But faith is where the miracles and the blessings happen. Don't let fear overpower your faith. Let faith overpower your fear. Don't be like David in this situation, lying, pretending, acting out of panic. When God had already promised to provide for him. David forgot, just like we do sometimes for a moment, that he was the chosen king of Israel. And sometimes we forget that we're the chosen children of God. So whatever you're facing, financial pressure, uncertainty, anxiety, or that dream you've buried in the back, take it up to God. Pray this with me. Lord, I'm scared, but I trust you. I know you'll provide. I'm stepping out in faith. I believe you'll meet me where I need to be. You know, when you do that, you realize God's hand was already there making a way. And remember, when we let fear dominate faith, we are delaying a blessing. God already prepared. But when we repent, reflect, and return to God like David did, God still redeems all of it. So ask yourself this week, are you living with faith over fear? Or fear over faith? Because I promise, faith wins every single time. And Satan will hate it, but God will love it. Love you all. God bless. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you so much for this amazing lesson of us realizing that we can't get far with fear. And realizing that Satan wants us to just grow up in fear so we don't take those risks. We don't, you know, have that faith to move forward in the direction and the journey that you have already prepared for us, Lord. Father, we thank you so much for your love, your compassion. We thank you so much for sending your son here to die on the cross for our sins, Lord. And Father, thank you so much for everybody listening. If anybody is going through something and they need to really put that fear aside, Lord, I just pray that they are encouraged to put that fear aside and trust in you. And when we trust in you, Lord, our faith will flourish, the blessings will come, the understanding will come. Father, we love you and we praise you in Jesus' name. Amen. Love you all till next time. We're going to continue David on the run. Well, that wraps up this week's episode. My prayer is that these devotions bring you a little closer to God each day. If you felt encouraged, don't keep it to yourself. Share this episode with a friend or loved one who could use the same reminder. Be sure to hit subscribe so you never miss a weekly message. And if you like, leaving a kind review means so much. For more, check the show notes or connect with me on Instagram or TikTok at JessieMorganFaith. Until next time, this is Jesse Morgan praying off.