Rediscovering Faith

Rev. Evan Ryder
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Join us as we dive into Scripture and faith through a fresh lens, offering thought-provoking discussions and new perspectives on God’s Word. This podcast invites you to rethink, rediscover, and deepen your spiritual journey, with every episode designed to spark reflection and transformation.

  1. 3H AGO

    Life and Peace Through the Spirit

    Send us your questions and reflections! Conclude this week's journey of untangling from control with this liberating episode about finding life through God's Spirit instead of our effort. Based on Romans 8:5-11, we discover that real life doesn't come from striving harder but from surrendering to the Spirit's leading. After learning about stillness, trust, releasing worry, and surrendered prayer, today we address the final tangle: believing we can control outcomes through sheer willpower and determination. What You'll Learn: Why life flows from God's Spirit, not our effortThe difference between living according to flesh versus SpiritWhat Paul means by "death" versus "life and peace"A practical untangle moment to invite the Spirit's leadingLife Flows From God's Spirit, Not Our Effort: Even after talking about letting go of control, there's still one more temptation: to try really, really hard to let go. To strive at not striving, work at resting, control our way into surrender. But that's not how it works. You can't produce spiritual life through human effort, force peace through willpower, or manufacture what only the Spirit can give. Real, abundant, peaceful life comes from the Spirit, not from trying harder. Flesh Versus Spirit: When Paul talks about "flesh," he means life lived in your own strength, by your own resources, according to your own ability. The flesh is self-reliance—the part that says "I can handle this. I can figure this out. I can make this happen if I just try hard enough." The Spirit is God's life within you—His power, wisdom, and strength working in and through you. Living according to the Spirit means depending on God instead of yourself, letting Him lead instead of forcing your own way, receiving life from Him instead of trying to manufacture it on your own. The Outcome of Each Path: "To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." Death means exhaustion, anxiety, constant striving, never resting, always pushing. Despite all that effort, you're not experiencing life—you're just surviving, barely. That's spiritual death: the absence of life, joy, peace, rest. But when you set your mind on the Spirit? Life and peace.  Why We Default to Striving: It feels productive—when we're working, pushing, managing, we feel useful, necessary. It feels safe—if we're in control, we don't have to trust anyone else or be vulnerable. It's what we know—self-reliance is our default mode, while depending on the Spirit is foreign and uncomfortable. And we don't trust the Spirit will come through—deep down, we fear if we stop striving, everything will fall apart. But that's a lie. The Spirit is more faithful than your effort, more powerful than your striving, more capable than your control. Your Untangle Moment: Identify one area where you're striving in your own strength, then practice untangling by inviting the Spirit to lead instead of forcing outcomes through effort. Identify where you're exhausted from trying to make something happen through sheer willpower. Acknowledge out loud: "I've been trying to control this through my own strength. I'm exhausted." Invite the Spirit: "Holy Spirit, I can't do this on my own. I need You to lead. I release my striving and receive Your life." Throughout the day, when you feel the urge to force or control, pause and pray: "Spirit, lead me. I'm following, not forcing." Notice the difference between Spirit-led action (peaceful, purposeful) and flesh-driven striving (anxious, exhausting). Perfect for anyone exhausted from striving, learning to depend on the Spirit, discovering the difference between effort and surrender, or seeking life and peace beyond their own strength. Scripture Focus: Romans 8:5-11 S

    11 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Peace Through Prayer

    Send us your questions and reflections! Discover the profound connection between surrender and peace in this transformative episode about prayer. Based on Philippians 4:6-7, we learn that peace doesn't come from gripping tighter but from letting go. Continuing our journey of untangling from the need to control, today we explore how surrendered prayer leads to the peace that surpasses all understanding. What You'll Learn: Why peace always follows surrender, not the other way aroundWhat Paul means by "do not be anxious about anything"The progression of prayer, supplication, thanksgiving, and requestsWhat it means that God's peace "surpasses all understanding"Why control and peace are incompatibleA practical untangle moment using open-handed prayerPeace Always Follows Surrender: This is the order. You can't experience God's peace while clinging to control. You can't have both clenched fists and open hands at the same time. Peace comes when you bring your anxious situation to God and actually release it, when you stop trying to manage it on your own and trust Him with it, when you surrender control. Paul isn't just saying "Pray about it"—he's saying "Bring it to God. Give it to Him. Let go. And then receive His peace." Do Not Be Anxious About Anything: Anything. Not just small things or manageable things. Anything and everything causing anxiety.  In Everything By Prayer: Paul says "in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Notice the progression: prayer (conversation), supplication (humble asking), thanksgiving (grateful posture), requests made known (honest expression of what you need). This isn't casual prayer or "God bless my day, amen." This is bringing your specific anxieties, needs, and struggles to God and laying them before Him. But here's the key: you're not just informing God—you're releasing to God, saying "Here's what I'm anxious about. Here's what I need. And I'm trusting You with it." The Peace That Guards: "The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Not peace from getting what you asked for or peace from circumstances changing—peace from God Himself. This peace "surpasses all understanding"—it doesn't make logical sense. Circumstances might still be hard, problems still real, but you have peace anyway. Why? Because you've surrendered, released control, stopped trying to manage everything and trusted God. That peace guards your heart and mind, protects you, keeps you from spiraling into anxiety, keeps you grounded in trust instead of consumed by fear. Your Untangle Moment: Identify one situation you're clinging to anxiously, then practice untangling by bringing it to God in prayer with open hands—literally and figuratively. Identify the specific situation causing anxiety. Physically hold your hands in tight fists while naming it: "I'm holding onto control of [situation]." Notice the tension and exhaustion. Slowly open your hands, palms up, as an act of surrender while praying: "God, I bring this to You. I release my grip. I surrender control. I receive Your peace." Leave your hands open in a moment of silence, allowing yourself to feel the physical release. Throughout the day, when anxiety returns, repeat the gesture—open your hands and say: "I surrender this. I receive Your peace." Perfect for anyone struggling with anxiety, learning to pray with surrender, discovering the connection between control and peace, or seeking God's peace in difficult circumstances. Scripture Focus: Philippians 4:6-7 Series: Untangle Week Theme: Untangle from the Need to Control Learn how surrendered prayer opens the door to peace that su

    10 min

  3. 2D AGO

    Worry Doesn't Add Life

    Send us your questions and reflections! Discover why worry is really just control in disguise in this convicting episode about breaking free from anxiety. Based on Matthew 6:25-34, we learn that worry doesn't add a single hour to our lives—it just drains the life we have. Continuing our journey of untangling from the need to control, today we address one of the most common ways we try to control things we can't: worry. Worry Is Control Dressed as Concern: We tell ourselves we're just being responsible, thinking ahead, preparing, being realistic about what could go wrong. But if we're honest, worry isn't really about concern—it's about control. When we worry, we mentally rehearse every possible outcome, trying to anticipate every problem, attempting to prepare for every scenario. We think if we can just think about it enough, we can somehow manage it, control it. But that's an illusion. Most of what we worry about is outside our control, and the mental energy spent worrying doesn't actually change anything. Worry is a tangle that wraps around your mind and convinces you that if you keep thinking about the problem, you'll solve it. But all it really does is keep you stuck. Jesus' Question: "Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?" This is rhetorical—the answer is no one. Anxiety doesn't extend your life, improve your situation, or make you safer or more prepared. In fact, worry often does the opposite: it robs you of the life you have right now, steals your peace, joy, and ability to be present.  Why We Worry: Worry gives us something to do—when we feel powerless, worry makes us feel like we're taking action. Worry feels responsible—we think if we're not worrying, we're being careless. Worry feels like preparation—we tell ourselves imagining worst-case scenarios will ready us, but that's not preparation, that's torture. Worry gives us the illusion of control—if we think about it enough, plan for every contingency, anticipate every problem, maybe we can prevent it, manage it, control it. But we can't. And the sooner we admit that, the sooner we can let go of the worry. Look at the Birds: Jesus says birds don't sow, reap, or gather into barns, yet the heavenly Father feeds them. Birds don't worry—they don't sit in trees obsessing about their next meal. They just trust God will provide, and He does. Jesus isn't saying don't plan or work—birds work, searching for food, building nests, caring for young. But they don't worry. They do what's theirs to do and trust God with the rest. "Are you not of more value than they?" If God takes care of birds, won't He take care of you? Your Untangle Moment: Identify one worry you're rehearsing repeatedly, then practice untangling by interrupting the worry cycle and redirecting to trust. Name the specific worry consuming your mental energy (be brutally honest). Recognize it: "This worry is my attempt to control something I can't control." Create a "worry interruption"—when you catch yourself spiraling, physically stop (snap a rubber band on your wrist, clap your hands, say "Stop" out loud). Immediately redirect: "God, You've got this. I'm choosing to trust You with [specific situation]." When the worry returns (it will), repeat the interruption and redirection. This is retraining your brain—it takes time and repetition. Perfect for anyone struggling with anxiety, caught in worry cycles, or learning that concern and control are not the same thing. Scripture Focus: Matthew 6:25-34 Series: Untangle Week Theme: Untangle from the Need to Control

    11 min

  4. 3D AGO

    Trust Beyond Understanding

    Send us your questions and reflections! Continue untangling from the need to control in this episode exploring what it means to trust God even when we don't understand. Based on Proverbs 3:5-6, we discover that trust grows when we stop leaning only on ourselves and release our demand for answers before we'll believe God is good. One of the sneakiest forms of control is intellectual control—insisting God explain Himself before we'll trust Him. What You'll Learn: Why trust grows when we stop leaning only on ourselvesWhat it means to lean on your own understandingWhy demanding answers before trusting is actually a control tacticThe limits of our understanding compared to God's perspectiveHow to trust God with all your heart, not just the comfortable partsA practical untangle moment to release the need for answersLeaning on Our Own Understanding: When Solomon says "do not lean on your own understanding," he's not saying understanding is bad—he's saying it's insufficient, limited. When we rely solely on our own ability to figure things out, we set ourselves up for anxiety and disappointment. If trust depends on understanding, you'll never trust God fully because there's so much you don't and can't understand. Leaning on your own understanding means making trust conditional on having answers ("I'll trust You when I understand why"), refusing to move forward until everything makes sense ("I can't trust this next step until I see the whole plan"), treating God like He owes you an explanation, and believing if you can figure it out, you can control it. That's not trust—that's self-reliance disguised as faith. Trust With All Your Heart: Solomon says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart"—not half your heart, not just the comfortable part, all of it. This means trusting God when you don't understand, when it doesn't make sense, when you can't see the outcome. It means believing God is good even when you don't understand His ways, that He's faithful even when you can't trace His hand, that He's working even when you can't see it. This is what trust actually is—not certainty or comprehension, but confidence in God's character when you don't have confidence in your circumstances. The Limits of Understanding: Your understanding is limited. You don't see the whole picture, don't know the future, don't understand how all pieces fit together. Isaiah 55:8-9 says God's thoughts and ways are as much higher than ours as the heavens are higher than earth. God's perspective is infinitely greater. What looks like disaster to you might be part of a larger plan you can't see. If you're waiting to understand before you trust, you'll wait forever because full understanding isn't coming this side of eternity. But trust is available right now—even without answers, clarity, or understanding. Your Untangle Moment: Identify one situation where you're demanding to understand "why" or "how" before you'll trust God, then practice untangling by choosing trust without needing answers. Write down the question you're demanding God answer before you'll trust Him (be honest and specific). Acknowledge out loud: "I don't understand, and that's okay. God, You understand." Pray this release prayer: "God, I don't need to understand. I choose to trust You anyway." Throughout the day, when the need to understand resurfaces, repeat: "I trust You, God, even without understanding." This is untangling—releasing intellectual control, choosing trust over comprehension, leaning on God instead of your own limited understanding. Perfect for anyone demanding answers before they'll trust, struggling with "why" questions, needing to understand everything, or learning to trust God's character over their own comprehension. Scripture Focus: Pr

    10 min

  5. 4D AGO

    Be Still and Know

    Send us your questions and reflections! Begin a transformative seven-week journey of untangling the internal knots that keep you bound in this premiere episode of Untangle. Based on Psalm 46:1-3, 10, we discover God's radical invitation to stillness over striving and learn to release our grip on control. Like Lazarus, who had new life but was still wrapped in grave clothes, we can have new life in Christ yet remain tangled in patterns that hold us back from experiencing the fullness of that life. What You'll Learn: Why God invites us to stillness, not strivingThe difference between faithful stewardship and anxious controlWhat Psalm 46's context reveals about trusting God in chaosWhy stillness is so difficult and what it really meansHow to identify where you're striving instead of trustingA practical "untangle moment" to release control to GodGod Invites Stillness, Not Striving: Everything in our world says if we want something to happen, we must make it happen—take charge, control the outcome. Yes, there's a place for responsibility and action, but there's a difference between faithful stewardship ("I'll do what's mine to do and trust God with the rest") and anxious control ("If I don't manage every detail, it will all fall apart"). One comes from trust, the other from fear. God's invitation is clear: Be still. Stop striving. Stop trying to control everything. Know that I am God—and you are not. The Context of Psalm 46: The psalmist describes chaos—earth giving way, mountains moving, waters roaring, everything shaking. Real disaster, real crisis, the kind where your instinct is to panic, scramble, do something—anything—to regain control. Right in the middle of that chaos, God says: Be still. That seems counterintuitive; when everything falls apart, stillness feels irresponsible, even dangerous. But God isn't saying "be passive"—He's saying "stop trying to be God. Remember who I am. Remember I am your refuge and strength, present in your trouble." Stillness isn't inaction; it's trust in action, the hard work of letting go when every fiber wants to grip tighter. Why Stillness Is So Hard: Stillness requires trust. Trust requires releasing control. Releasing control feels terrifying. When we're striving, managing, controlling, we feel like we're doing something, being productive, protecting ourselves from disaster. But all that striving is exhausting and mostly ineffective because the vast majority of what we're trying to control is actually outside our control anyway. You can't control other people, outcomes, the future, or even fully control yourself. But you can trust the One who is in control. That's what stillness is—not giving up but giving over, not quitting but surrendering, not being passive but being at peace because you know God is God. Your Untangle Moment: Identify one area where you're striving to control the outcome, then practice "untangling" by consciously releasing it to God in stillness. Sit in silence 2-3 minutes (no phone, no distractions—the discomfort is part of untangling). Name the specific thing you're trying to control. Physically open your hands, palms up, as a symbolic act of release. Say out loud or write: "God, I release control of [specific situation]. You are God, and I am not." You'll probably feel resistance, the urge to grab it back—that's the tangle pulling tight. Sit with the discomfort. Practice the release. Trust that God is God, and you don't have to be. Perfect for anyone struggling with control issues, anxiety about outcomes, difficulty trusting God, or feeling exhausted from constant striving. Scripture Focus: Psalm 46:1-3, 10 Series: Untangle Week Theme: Untangle from the Need to Control Discover God's invitation to stil

    12 min

  6. FEB 20

    Celebrate Daily

    Send us your questions and reflections! Conclude the entire Start Small series with this transformative episode about why celebration is essential to spiritual life. Based on 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we discover that daily celebration is the motor making all other disciplines move in the right direction. Without celebration, prayer, Scripture, worship, simplicity, and service become enslaving rules—modern-age Pharisaism. This final episode ties together six weeks of spiritual practices and shows why celebration keeps them alive. What You'll Learn: Why celebration is the motor that drives all spiritual disciplinesHow spiritual practices become slavery without celebrationThe danger of modern Pharisaism in our discipleshipWhat it means to give thanks "in" versus "for" all circumstancesHow celebration changes perspective even in hard timesWhy celebration keeps spiritual life rooted in relationship, not performanceCelebration Is the Motor: Spiritual disciplines can become spiritual slavery if you lose sight of why you're doing them. Prayer becomes a checklist. Scripture reading becomes duty. Worship becomes performance. Simplicity becomes legalism. Service becomes martyrdom. When that happens, you've lost the heart, turned relationship into religion, turned grace into law. Daily celebration is the antidote—it reminds you why you're doing this.  The Danger of Modern Pharisaism: The Pharisees were deeply committed to spiritual disciplines—they prayed, studied Scripture, fasted, gave, followed rules meticulously. But Jesus confronted them because they'd lost the heart behind practices, doing right things for wrong reasons—praying to be seen, studying to win arguments, fasting to appear holy, giving to gain status. They became enslaved to their own rules, creating layers of regulations to earn righteousness through performance. We can do the same: practice all spiritual disciplines and miss the point, going through motions, following rules instead of following Jesus. Giving Thanks in All Circumstances: Paul says "give thanks in all circumstances," not "for all circumstances." You don't have to be grateful for suffering, loss, or pain—but you can give thanks in hard circumstances. How? Because thanksgiving isn't about circumstances but God's character. You can be in terrible situations and still give thanks that God is with you, faithful, working, hasn't abandoned you. You can be struggling and thank Him for strength to endure. You can be hurting and thank Him for being your comfort, hope, and anchor. Celebration doesn't deny reality or pretend everything is fine, but it refuses to let circumstances have the last word. How Celebration Changes Perspective: When you celebrate daily, even in hard circumstances, your perspective shifts. When focused only on what's wrong, everything feels overwhelming. But when you pause to give thanks—even for one small thing—you remember not everything is wrong. There's still good, hope, and God. When drowning in problems, celebration becomes a lifeline, pulling you up to catch your breath and remember what's true. This Week's Small Step: Give thanks right now in the midst of your circumstances—the good, bad, and ugly. Notice how celebration changes your perspective. Think about what's happening in your life and give thanks. Thank God for what's good—name it, celebrate it. Thank God in the midst of what's hard—not for hardship but for His presence in it, His strength, faithfulness, the fact He hasn't left you. Write it down, say it out loud, pray it. Then pay attention—notice if something shifts inside you, if your perspective changes even a little. Scripture Focus: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Series: Start Small: Small Steps. Big Results. Week Theme:

    12 min

  7. FEB 19

    Sing for Joy

    Send us your questions and reflections! Discover how worship songs are both celebration and resistance in this powerful episode of Start Small. Based on Colossians 3:16, we explore how singing about God's goodness isn't just expression—it's defiance against despair and a declaration that the world doesn't get the final word. What You'll Learn: Why joy leads us to songs of resistanceHow worship songs declare truth against the world's liesExamples of resistance songs throughout historyWhy singing is spiritual warfare, not just celebrationHow the word of Christ dwells richly through singingWhy singing cultivates joy even when you don't feel itJoy Is an Act of Resistance: The world tells you to despair, be cynical, focus on what's wrong, believe things will never get better. But when you sing about God's goodness, you're resisting that narrative, declaring a different truth: "No matter what's happening around me, God is still good, faithful, and worthy of praise." That's resistance, defiance, a bold declaration that the world doesn't get the final word—God does. Worship as Warfare: The enemy wants you silent, discouraged, so focused on problems that you forget who God is. One of the most powerful ways to fight back is to sing. When you're anxious, sing about God's peace. When you're afraid, sing about His protection. When you're overwhelmed, sing about His strength. When you're doubting, sing about His faithfulness. You're not ignoring circumstances—you're refusing to let circumstances define your reality. Singing worship is an act of faith: "I believe God is who He says He is, even when I can't see it." When you do that, your perspective changes, hope is renewed, joy is rekindled. The Word of Christ Dwelling Richly: Paul connects singing with letting "the word of Christ dwell in you richly." When you sing truth about God, you're embedding that truth in your heart, teaching yourself, reminding yourself what's real. The songs you sing matter. If you only listen to songs about feelings, struggles, and emptiness, you reinforce those things. But when you sing songs declaring who God is—His goodness, power, love, faithfulness—you're filling your mind and heart with truth that pushes out lies. This is worship's power: not just expression but formation, shaping who you are by declaring who God is. Singing With Thankfulness: Paul says sing "with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Thankfulness and singing go together—when you're grateful, you want to express it, and singing is natural. But singing also cultivates thankfulness. Even when you don't feel particularly grateful, when you start singing about God's goodness, gratitude begins to grow. Singing works both ways: joy leads to singing, and singing leads to joy. If you're struggling to feel joyful, sing anyway about what's true, and watch how singing begins to shift something inside you. This Week's Small Step: Sing or play a favorite worship song that declares how good God is. Don't just listen passively—actually sing out loud. Choose a song declaring truth about God: "Goodness of God," "How Great Is Our God," "Great Are You, Lord," "It Is Well," "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." Let the words sink in and remind you who God is. Recognize what you're doing: you're resisting, declaring, choosing joy. You're saying "World, you don't get to tell me how this ends. God does. And He is good." Sing throughout the day—in the car, shower, while doing dishes. Let worship become your life's soundtrack. Perfect for anyone battling despair, needing courage to stand firm, wanting to use worship as spiritual warfare, or learning to celebrate God's goodness regardless of circumstances. Scripture Focus: Colossians 3:16 Series: Start Small:

    10 min

  8. FEB 18

    Give Thanks

    Send us your questions and reflections! Discover how recognizing God as the source of every blessing leads naturally to gratitude and celebration in this episode of Start Small. Based on James 1:17, we learn that every good gift—not some gifts, not just the big ones—comes from God, and reflecting on these gifts should move us toward rejoicing. After choosing joy and noticing blessings, today we trace every good thing back to its source. What You'll Learn: Why everything God gives is good and perfectWhat it means that God is "the Father of lights" with no variationHow to dwell on good things without denying realityWhy recognizing God as the source changes everythingHow reflection on God's gifts leads to rejoicingGod Gives Only Good Things: James isn't just saying God gives good gifts sometimes—he's saying every gift from God is good. Not just good, but perfect, complete, exactly what we need. God doesn't give partially good gifts, flawed gifts, or gifts that look good but turn out harmful. Everything from God is good. When you look at the good things in your life—blessings, provisions, people, opportunities—you're looking at gifts from God. When you recognize this, gratitude becomes the natural response, and gratitude leads to celebration. The Father of Lights: James calls God "the Father of lights," referencing the sun, moon, and stars. But unlike these lights that rise and set, wax and wane, move and cast shadows, God has "no variation or shadow due to change." He's constant, unchanging, consistent in His goodness. You can trust that what God gives is good—not just today, but always. His character doesn't shift, His generosity doesn't fluctuate. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. That stability and reliability is itself a gift worth celebrating. Dwelling on the Good: Our minds tend to focus on what's wrong, missing, hard, or not working. We need to acknowledge and address problems, but when we only focus on negative, we miss the good that's also present. Paul wrote, "Whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, if there is any excellence, anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8). This isn't denial or pretending problems don't exist—it's choosing to give proper attention to good alongside hard. When you intentionally reflect on good gifts God has given, gratitude grows, joy emerges, and celebration becomes natural. Recognizing God as the Source: When you recognize every good gift comes from God, you stop taking things for granted. Your health, relationships, provision, abilities, opportunities, very existence—all gifts from God. This doesn't mean you don't work hard, use wisdom, or make choices. But it means recognizing everything you have and are is ultimately from God.  This Week's Small Step: Reflect on one gift from God today, big or small. Take a few minutes and think about something good in your life—something you're grateful for that brings joy, peace, or comfort. Then trace it back to God and recognize it as a gift from Him. Say it out loud or write it down: "God, thank You for this gift. I recognize it comes from You, and I'm grateful." Let that gratitude move you toward celebration, lift your heart, and remind you that God is good, generous, and actively blessing your life. Perfect for anyone struggling with negativity, wanting to develop gratitude, learning to see God in everyday blessings, or cultivating a celebratory spirit. Scripture Focus: James 1:17 Series: Start Small: Small Steps. Big Results. Week Theme: Celebration

    10 min
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About

Join us as we dive into Scripture and faith through a fresh lens, offering thought-provoking discussions and new perspectives on God’s Word. This podcast invites you to rethink, rediscover, and deepen your spiritual journey, with every episode designed to spark reflection and transformation.

Information

  • Creator
    Rev. Evan Ryder
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    126
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Rediscovering Faith
  • Show Website
    Rediscovering Faith