It is easy to trust God when "Life is good!" It is quite another matter when "Life is hard!" When Jesus commissioned his disciples, I've got to believe they were pretty excited. Just think about it. The Lord gave them power to drive out evil spirits and heal diseases.1 But then the Lord's tone changed. Jesus began to speak of being hated, of imprisonment, of flogging, and of death.2 I can see Peter nudging John with a look of "What have we got ourselves into?" I imagine the disciples were more than just a little worried. Jesus knows this! So he comforts them by saying,
"So have no fear of them . . . Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows (Matthew 10:26, 29-31 ESV)
Have no fear?Are you kidding!
But if you follow Jesus you do have reason to to be fearless. The God who is in complete control loves you more than you will ever know.
Charles Spurgeon writes about the peace believers experience knowing God is sovereign: The believer “knows too that God is always wise, and, knowing this, he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes; that nothing can occur which ought not to arise. He can say, ‘If I should lose all I have, it is better that I should lose than have, if God so wills: the worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing that could befall to me if God ordains it.' We know that all things work together for good to them that love God. The Christian does not merely hold this as a theory, but he knows it as a matter of fact." Charles H. Spurgeon (Morning And Evening, p 437)
There really is no reason for fear. As you begin your week: Be quiet before God. Be at rest in his love. Be confident, for he who is in complete control loves you more than you will ever know.
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1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction (Matthew 10:1 ESV). 2 "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles….Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake (Matthew 10:16-18, 21-22 ESV).