A Small Book About Why We Hide

I have long enjoyed, Ed Welch's Small Book series. I first read his book A Small Book for the Anxious Heart back at the beginning of the pandemic. It was perfect timing! Many of us, even if we'd never struggled with anxiety, were struggling by the end of March in 2020.

I also read his book A Small Book About a Big Problem during that time. Little did I know how badly we would need these two books.

Now, Welch has written a new book--A Small Book About Why We Hide. It's a book about how Jesus, our Redeemer, rescues us from our doubts and insecurities, regrets that torment us, past failures that haunt us, and shame that can limit our ability to serve God.

I love Welch's style of writing. He gets right to the point and it's not over our heads. He makes you think, and I believe that's important.

Much like A Small Book for the Anxious Heart and A Small Book About a Big Problem, A Small Book About Why We Hide follows a 50-day reading plan—50, brief devotionals that you can easily read daily. I love the self-help style of all three of these books and especially how easily this new book becomes part of your life as you dive in. You're going to love this book too!

A Small Book About Why We Hide is divided into 2 parts:

1. In part 1, Welch writes of insecurities, fears, regrets, and failures.
2. In part 2, he dives into shame, worthlessness, and self-doubt.

Immediately, upon opening the book, I was drawn to day 1—"Being Seen."
We, as women, talk and write about "being seen" quite often. It's important to us. We appreciate feeling noticed when we walk into a room. But more importantly, we need to understand just how "seen" we are by God, and Welch goes there.

Another thing that grabbed my attention was his conclusion, "Grafting Your Story into God's Story" beginning on page 248. Isn't that our ultimate purpose—to be part of God's story? Yes! It is! We are to be grafted into His story, and He is to be part of ours as well.

Between "Being Seen" and "Grafting Your Story into God's Story" there are 49 daily devotionals, thoughtfully written, to meet our individual needs. 

I love the size of this book too. It can easily be a great stocking stuffer!

As women, especially in this age of heightened social media presence, I feel we are so much more prone to insecurities, fear of failure, and regrets which we often try hard to hide or cover up. It's so easy to fall into the trap of wanting that perfect Instagram life, isn't it?

We may even find these insecurities, failures, and regrets resulting in isolation from both those around us and God. Through the 50, brief devotionals, Welch shows us how God speaks with gentleness, depth, and hope that will lead us out of hiding and into a life more openly, authentic, and regret-free.

Welch speaks to our struggles with shame, disappointments, and inadequacy with God’s words of love and change. He also shows us how we were created to be seen and known by God and others, and how hiding undermines these relationships.

Each of these 50, daily devotional focuses on a specific biblical truth that unpacks the reasons underlying our feelings of failure and weakness and then it points us in the direction of turning to God for acceptance, identity, and security.

Sometimes, we hide because of our own failures and weakness, and sometimes, we hide because of what others have done and said to us. However, in either case, we can be free from shame because of the work of Christ on the cross. Jesus took our shame on Himself, so we can trust that now we are valued children of God.

Through a closer examination of Scripture, we can be assured God will meet us in the insecurities of daily life. We can find true security in His love and live freely and honestly with others.

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, Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest, A Small Book about a Big Problem: Meditations on Anger, Patience, and Peace, A Small Book for the Anxious Heart: Meditations on Fear, Worry, and Trust, and A Small Book about Why We Hide: How Jesus Rescues Us from Insecurity, Regret, Failure, and Shame.

Read more about A Small Book for the Anxious Heart.
Read more about A Small Book About a Big Problem.

Have you read, or used in counseling, any of Ed Welch's books? If so, tell us what you think.