This week on Geek Devotions, Celeste shares her honest thoughts after finishing The Will of the Many by James Islington, a book that unexpectedly sparked a lot of emotions and thought. One specific quote stood out: “The man who is never nervous, never does anything hard. A man who is never nervous, never grows.” In this devotional, we unpack how that quote parallels biblical wisdom from Philippians 4:10–13. What does it really mean to face challenges while choosing contentment in Christ? And how do we grow in faith through hard seasons?
Blog Version
This past week, I finished reading The Will of the Many by James Islington, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.
If you caught our recent stream, you might remember me jumping in unexpectedly just to talk about it. It’s one of those books. The kind that stops you in your tracks, not necessarily because it was incredible in every way, but because it hit something personal.
There’s a quote from the main character’s father that’s been stuck in my head ever since I heard it:
Nervousness means there’s a fear to be faced ahead, Diago. The man who is never nervous never does anything hard. The man who is never nervous never grows.
It caught me off guard. I heard it while listening to the audiobook, and my immediate reaction was, “Oh… that’s good.” Simple, direct, and deeply true.
That one line led me straight to scripture. Specifically, Philippians 4:10–13, where Paul says:
I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.Paul had been through the ringer—physically, emotionally, spiritually—and still, he writes with this peace and contentment that doesn’t make sense in the natural. He doesn’t deny the hardship. He doesn’t pretend everything’s fine. Instead, he leans into the strength Christ provides in every season.
The quote from the book and Paul’s words aren’t saying exactly the same thing, but they intersect. Both speak to the reality that growth often comes through discomfort. That nervousness, or uncertainty, doesn’t mean failure. It’s a signal that you’re stepping into something hard, and hard things grow us.
When life feels overwhelming, when the fear hits, when you’re staring down something difficult, the easy thing is to run or shut down. But what if, instead, we paused and chose contentment, not in the situation, but in God?
It doesn’t magically fix everything. But it anchors us. It reminds us that we’re not alone, that we can face hard things not by our own strength but through the One who strengthens us.
Maybe today you’re feeling nervous. Maybe you’re in the thick of something really difficult. Maybe contentment feels out of reach.
Let me gently remind you: nervousness doesn’t mean you’re weak—it means you’re growing. And with God’s help, you can do this. You can face it. You can grow.