Is it just me, or does it seem like Jesus was always telling His disciples to not be afraid? He told them that when they were in a boat, two different times. When He was transfigured, and they were scared outside their minds by the booming voice of God, Jesus told them not to be afraid. Then, after the resurrection, when they were all gathered in a room in hiding because they were afraid, Jesus appeared to them out of nowhere and told them again, don't be afraid.
It seems like Jesus had to tell them over and over to not be afraid.
I don't know what I'd do if I were in a boat on a stormy sea and saw the outline of Jesus walking on the water toward me! I'd probably be scared, too. Undoubtedly! I don't know exactly what I'd do should I hear a booming voice from heaven. Maybe I would hit the ground and cover my head like the disciples.
As caregivers, sometimes, everything can be scary. I remember when I first brought my son home in July of 2010. I wasn't scared at all. I WAS TERRIFIED. With absolutely no previous experience in taking care of another whole person, literally everything scared me. But I know that God was there. For that matter, He's always been here. He's always in the room. Jesus was there when His disciples were scared, and He's with us here on our caregiving journeys, too.
I don't know about you, but there are many things that can be frightening when you are caring for a loved one. Making even the simplest decisions can have frightening possibilities. We never know when there may be an accident or illness to deal with. I've spent many nights in the hospital with my son on this journey. Some of those stays were more frightening than others. We just never know what a day will bring. But we can always know that Jesus is still in the room, and He is quick to offer rest and safety for our souls.
We never see Jesus leaving the disciples or telling them He can't hang out with them because they have too much fear. He doesn't tell them to get it together before He can help them, protect them, or be with them. He was there each time, offering His peace in the middle of the scary circumstances. And we can rest assured He is right here with us no matter what we face today.
Today, I will remind myself that Jesus is still in the room. He is right here, and He is not scared of my scary moments. Instead, His peace remains extended to me. I can't scare Him away with my doubts, fears, or crazy thoughts. He is still in this space - right here in the room with me. So, I will rejoice that He is strong enough to handle my battles and my fears. I will package all those fears and concerns up and hand them to Him in prayer. Then, I'll trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?
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Are you looking for a new devotional? I have written several devotionals, and I'm currently working on some new ones that should become available soon. As a caregiver, I found a lot of comfort and direction from Psalm 31. So, I wrote a devotional, 31 Days in Psalm 31 - what it's like to spend 31 days in a cave with God. It's available on my bookstore and on Amazon on Kindle or for print-on-demand.
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