When Jesus encouraged His disciples with these words, they were about to face something that they had never experienced before. They would see Him being arrested, mocked, tortured, and crucified on the cross. The disciple could not believe in their hearts that Jesus would go through such a brutal experience since they had seen His power.
When the disciples saw Jesus being arrested and tortured by the religious leaders, they were so afraid that they fled, and even Peter denied Jesus three times. The disciples did not understand that our Heavenly Father would allow His only Son, Jesus, to be crucified on the cross so that He could save the world from sin. Jesus loved His disciples so much that He was encouraging His disciples not to be troubled or fearful, but to believe in God because He was in control.
Fear is the opposite of faith. We become afraid when we face something that is not certain. For example, if we are thinking about our future, it can be worrisome because we don’t know what will happen to us in the future. Our life on this earth is very unpredictable, just like what is happening with the Coronavirus. However, God knows our future because He is in control. He is always there for us to guide and strengthen us as we go through our daily lives. Just as Jesus was encouraging His disciples before they go through difficult situations, God is also encouraging us not to be afraid because He is in control and that He will take care of us as long as we walk with Him.
When I was still in college, I was always worried every time I had major exams because I didn’t know if I could pass the exams. As I prayed to God to help me study and remember the things that I was studying, God encouraged me that no matter what happened, He was going to take care of me. When both of my parents passed away, God reminded me not to be afraid because He would always be there for me. When I needed a job or direction in life, God was always there for me to provide a job and directed me in the right direction. I realized that God would always be there for me, so I should not be fearful but always believed in Him. Likewise, God is encouraging us today to believe in the Lord and not be fearful, for God will always be with us to guide us and help us in times of our needs.
Ask yourself these questions: what is the opposite of faith? What does Jesus tell us to do when we are afraid of something?
Write down the challenges that you are facing today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you that my life is in your hand, and that you will always be there for me. Please help me to believe in you when I am afraid. Help me not to walk in fear, but in confidence in you, knowing that you are in control of my life. May you help me now with (mention your prayer requests). In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.