In Joshua 2, we find the story of Rahab. When Joshua and the Israelites arrived at the edge of the Promised Land, just outside Jericho, Joshua sent spies to scout the land. When they got there, they stayed in an inn run by a woman named Rahab. The king of Jericho heard about the spies, so he sent his men to Rahab with orders: “Give us the men who are staying with you.”

Rahab hid the Israelite men on the roof and sent the king’s men off on a wild goose chase. Then she went back to the roof to help the spies escape. “I have heard about your God,” she said. “I’ve heard all that He has done for you. I know that when you come back, you’ll take this city. I want in with your God, the supreme God.”

Joshua and his army did take Jericho—and Rahab and her family were spared.

Rahab made a leap of faith. She trusted in God based on what she had heard about Him. What a good example for us as we consider Psalm 9:10: “Those who know your name trust in you.”

The Hebrew word for “name” is shem. It means “reputation.” God is known as:

• An honest judge (Psalm 7:11)
• True (John 3:33)
• Kind, good, merciful (Psalm 116:5)
• A helper (Psalm 54:4)
• A consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24)
• All-powerful (Job 36:22)
• With us (Matthew 1:23)
• A solid rock, a strong fortress (2 Samuel 22:32-33)
• Slow to anger, unfailingly compassionate (Exodus 34:6)

These are only a few things we know about God’s reputation. Sometimes we forget them. Our circumstances and our thoughts loom larger to us than He does, and that’s when we stop trusting and start worrying.

“Why do you worry about your life?” Jesus asked. “People who don’t know God worry about things, but you know both God and the way he works” (Matthew 6:32).

If you’re having a hard time trusting God, you’re not the first person to feel that way. Maybe you’ve forgotten what you know about Him. How do you know God? What have you learned about Him from personal experience? What have you heard about Him from others’ experiences? From scripture? Make a long, long list. Keep it so the next time you turn to worry, you can recall what you know and why you trust Him.

Questions to Ask Yourself

1. What do you know about God personally? How do you know this? Write your story down.
2. What do you learn about God from stories in the Bible? List your favorite stories; then go back and read them, making a note about what they tell you about God. Whenever you read the Bible, make a note or highlight the names of God.
3. What do you hear about God from others’ stories? Ask a few friends or family members to tell you.
4. When you start to worry, get out your “God is” list. Try praying this way: “God, I am _______(how you feel), but You are ______ (what you know about Him or have heard about Him).”