What Happens When Women Walk in Faith

In one sentence

The book argues that many women suffer from "performance-based" spirituality, where they attempt to earn God's favor through busyness and perfection, and the remedy is a radical shift toward resting in God's grace and trusting His timing.

Why read this (and who it's for)

This book is for the "over-functioning" woman—the one who feels she must be the perfect mother, the tireless worker, and the spiritual powerhouse all at once. It solves the problem of spiritual exhaustion and the "imposter syndrome" that comes from trying to do God's work without God's power. After reading, you will be able to identify the difference between working for God and walking with God, and you will have a framework for finding rest in the middle of a demanding life.

The big idea

TerKeurst posits that many women operate under a "hidden" theology of performance. Because of our cultural conditioning and perhaps past spiritual experiences, we believe that our value is tied to our output. This manifests as a constant internal pressure to "do more" to be "enough." However, this approach leads to burnout, anxiety, and a fractured relationship with God because it treats God as a taskmaster rather than a Father.

The central thesis is that walking in faith is not about achieving a higher level of productivity; it is about a deeper level of surrender. It is the shift from doing to being. When a woman stops trying to prove her worth through her achievements and starts resting in the finished work of Jesus, she finds a supernatural peace that isn't dependent on her daily success. The logic is simple: you cannot produce what you do not possess. If you don't possess peace, you cannot produce a peaceful life. You must first receive it from the Source.

Key ideas

The Trap of Performance

• What it is — The belief that our standing with God, our value as women, and our success in life are determined by our achievements and "good" behavior.
• Why it matters — If you believe this, you will never truly rest because there is always something more you could have done. It turns your spiritual life into a treadmill of "not enough."
• In the book — TerKeurst describes the "Superwoman" archetype who tries to juggle every role perfectly, eventually reaching a breaking point where she realizes she was trying to be the savior of her own life.

The Difference Between Effort and Surrender

• What it is — Effort is the human attempt to manufacture a result; surrender is the spiritual act of releasing the outcome to God.
• Why it matters — Effort without surrender leads to burnout; surrender without effort (laziness) leads to stagnation. Faith is the sweet spot where we work from a place of rest, not for a place of rest.
• In the book — She contrasts the "hustle" mentality of the world with the "abiding" mentality of the Kingdom of God.

Identity vs. Activity

• What it is — Your identity is who you are in Christ; your activity is what you do for Christ.
• Why it matters — When activity becomes identity, you experience a crisis of worth whenever you fail or when life circumstances (like illness or job loss) strip away your ability to "do."
• In the book — TerKeurst emphasizes that God's love is not a reward for your ministry; it is the foundation of your life.

The Power of "Wait"

• What it is — Viewing waiting not as a delay, but as a developmental season where God is working on the character of the believer.
• Why it matters — We often view waiting as wasted time. In faith, waiting is an active participation in God's timing, which protects us from the anxiety of trying to force doors open that God hasn't unlocked yet.
• In the book — She shares stories of women who were desperate for an answer, only to find that the "waiting room" was where their faith was actually being forged.

Spiritual Authority in Prayer

• What it is — Praying not as a way to change God's mind, but as a way to align our hearts with His will.
• Why it matters — Many women pray "transactional" prayers (asking for things). Walking in faith means praying "relational" prayers (asking for His presence and alignment).
• In the book — She encourages a shift from "God, do this for me" to "God, what are You doing in this?"

Frameworks & tools

The "Rest-Work" Cycle

To move from performance to faith, TerKeurst suggests a rhythmic approach to spiritual life:

1. Receive: Start your day by acknowledging what God has already done (Scripture, worship, silence).
2. Reflect: Identify the "to-do" list that is causing you anxiety.
3. Release: Consciously hand over the "outcomes" of those tasks to God in prayer.
4. Respond: Do the work of the day, but do it as a response to the rest you received in step one.

The "Identity Audit"

When you feel overwhelmed or like a failure, use this checklist to recalibrate:

• What is my current "Identity Statement"? (e.g., "I am a failure because I didn't get that promotion.")
• What does the Word say? (Find a scripture that counters that statement.)
• What is the "Activity" I am trying to do? (Identify the task.)
• How can I do this task as a child of God rather than a slave to the task?

Memorable examples & stories

The Overwhelmed Mother

TerKeurst shares the story of a woman who felt she was failing as a mother because her children weren't "perfect." The lesson: We often project our own insecurities onto our children, and walking in faith means trusting God's plan for their lives, not our own.

The Waiting Season

A story of a woman who prayed for a specific door to open for years. When it stayed shut, she eventually realized God was protecting her from a path that wasn't meant for her. The lesson: God's "No" is often a "Not yet" or a "I have something better."

The "Busy" Spiritual Leader

A story of a woman who was doing "big things" for the church but was spiritually dry and exhausted. The lesson: You can be busy for God without being with God.

Key quotes

"Your worth is not found in what you do for God, but in whose you are." (Paraphrased) Why it matters: It strips away the performance-based identity that causes so much anxiety.

"Faith is not a feeling of certainty; it is a commitment to trust God's character when your feelings are screaming otherwise." (Paraphrased) Why it matters: It anchors our faith in the unchanging nature of God rather than our fluctuating emotions.

"Rest is not the absence of work; it is the presence of God in the midst of the work." (Paraphrased) Why it matters: It redefines rest as a spiritual posture, not just a nap or a vacation.

How to apply it

This week

1. The "First 5 Minutes" Rule: Before checking your phone or your to-do list, spend 5 minutes in silence, simply acknowledging that you are loved by God regardless of what you accomplish today.
2. The "Release" Prayer: Identify one specific task you are worried about. Write it down. Pray, "Lord, I give you the outcome of this. I will do my part, but I release the result to You."
3. Audit your "Shoulds": Write down three things you feel you should be doing. Ask: "Is this a command from God, or a pressure from my own perfectionism?"

Ongoing

• Practice "Abiding" over "Achieving": Set a daily rhythm of reading a small portion of Scripture not for information, but for communion.
• The "Identity Anchor": When you feel the "not enough" feeling creep in, repeat a specific scripture (like Ephesians 2:8-10) out loud.
• Scheduled Sabbath: Intentionally set aside time where you are forbidden from "producing" anything—no chores, no planning, just being.

Common pitfalls

• The "Passive" Trap: Some might mistake "walking in faith" for "doing nothing." TerKeurst is clear that we are still called to work, but the source of our strength must be different.
• The "Feelings" Trap: It is easy to think that "walking in faith" will result in a constant feeling of peace. TerKeurst argues that faith is a choice of the will, often made when we feel the least peaceful.
• The "Self-Help" Trap: Because this book is written by a woman who understands the pressures of modern life, it can sometimes feel like "spiritual self-help." The reader must be careful not to make "walking in faith" just another thing to be "good" at.

Connects to

• "The Practice of Stillness" by Richard Foster: Deepens the practical application of the "rest" TerKeurst advocates for.
• "Boundaries" by Cloud and Townsend: Helps address the "over-functioning" that TerKeurst identifies as a root cause of spiritual burnout.
• "The Easy Life" by Lysa TerKeurst: (Another of her works) provides more specific tactical steps for finding rest in a demanding world.

If you remember only three things

• Your value is intrinsic (who you are in Christ), not extrinsic (what you do for Christ).
• Faith is a shift from performance to presence.
• Rest is a spiritual discipline that fuels your ability to serve, not a reward for your service.

Internalize it

• Reflection questions

  • In what areas of my life am I currently trying to "earn" God's approval?
  • What would my daily life look like if I truly believed I was "enough" even if I did nothing today?
  • What "door" am I trying to kick down that God might be keeping closed for my protection?
  • How can I practically incorporate "abiding" into my busiest day of the week?

• Flashcards Q: What is the "Superwoman" trap? A: The belief that we must manage every area of life perfectly to be worthy and successful.

Q: What is the difference between effort and surrender? A: Effort is trying to manufacture a result; surrender is releasing the outcome to God's timing and will.

Q: How does TerKeurst define "Rest"? A: Rest is not just the absence of work; it is the presence of God in the midst of our daily tasks.

Q: What is the "Identity Audit"? A: A tool to identify where you are letting your activities define your worth and replacing those thoughts with Scriptural truths.

Q: What is the goal of "Relational Prayer"? A: To align our hearts with God's will and presence rather than just asking Him to change our circumstances.

Fidelity note

This summary is based on the core theological and practical themes presented by Lysa TerKeurst in What Happens When Women Walk in Faith. I am confident in the distinction she makes between performance-based spirituality and grace-based walking. I am less certain of specific anecdotes, as her stories often involve personal experiences of women in her ministry, which are summarized here for their thematic value rather than as verbatim transcripts. Readers should verify the specific "Identity Audit" questions against her specific text to ensure they align with her preferred phrasing.