When People Are Big and God Is Small: Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codependency, and the Fear of Man

by Edward T. Welch

Overview

However you put it, the fear of man can be summarized this way: We replace God with people. Instead of a biblically guided fear of the Lord, we fear others. Of course, the "fear of man" goes by other names. When we are in our teens, it is called "peer pressure." When we are older, it is called "people-pleasing." Recently, it has been called "codependency." With these labels in mind, we can spot the fear of man everywhere.



The problem is clear: People are too big in our lives and God is too small. The answer is straightforward: We must learn to know that our God is more loving and more powerful than we ever imagined. Yet this task is not easy. Even if we worked at the most spectacular of national parks, or the bush in our backyard started burning without being consumed, or Jesus appeared and wrestled a few rounds with us, we would not be guaranteed a persistent reverence of God. Too often our mountain-top experiences are quickly overtaken by the clamor of the world, and God once again is diminished in our minds. The goal is to establish a daily tradition of growing in the knowledge of God.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940186133971
Publisher:	New Growth Press
Publication date:	06/01/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	280,813
File size:	776 KB

About the Author

Edward T. Welch, MDiv, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). He earned a PhD in counseling (neuropsychology) from the University of Utah and has a master's of divinity from Biblical Theological Seminary. Ed has been counseling for nearly forty years and has written extensively on the topics of depression, fear, and addictions. His biblical counseling books include Shame Interrupted; When People Are Big and God Is Small; Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave, Depression: Looking Up from the Stubborn Darkness, Crossroads: A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Addiction, Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest, When I Am Afraid: A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Fear and Anxiety, Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love, A Small Book about a Big Problem: Meditations on Anger, Patience, and Peace, and A Small Book for the Anxious Heart: Meditations on Fear, Worry, and Trust.

Editorial Reviews

"Few living writers have helped me more deeply to connect the dots between my heart and my actions than Ed Welch. . . . When People Are Big and God Is Small helped me when it first released . . . and its insights never stray far from my mind."

Author - Dane Ortlund

"Dr. Ed Welch's careful examination of the human spirit, the sins that hold us captive, and the liberating power of the gospel will not only set your own heart on fire but instruct you in how to lead others. . . . Whether you are a parent, a pastor, a counselor, or a friend, this book is a must-read."

Pastor - J.D. Greear

"Few books have impacted me, my family, and my church more deeply than [this one]. It introduces concepts—biblical truths—that have transformed the way we understand our relationships with God and man alike."

Blogger - Tim Challies

"This book challenges our thoughts about ourselves in relation to God and the people around us. . . . Ed Welch makes clear the goodness of fearing the awesome Lord God and the emptiness of fearing anything or anyone else. God's Word is at the heart of the matter, and God's Son is the point."

Author and Speaker - Kathleen Nielson