Those who live with Jesus have no fear.
Who and what are we afraid of? Children of darkness and evil people. Adults bad people and their mistakes. Students of exams or disappointments in love. In addition, we fear illness, failure, job loss, old age, and death. Many fear for their lives, savings, and property.
I remember a woman, a mother, who was lying for six months with a high-risk pregnancy. She was apprehensive about her child, although she already had four children at home.
I know a father who calls at least briefly every night to see how his family is doing when he is away from his family.
In the religious program Prameň (STV, 22 November 1992), there was an interview with international students about faith in God. Daniel Dalohoun, a student from Africa who came to us to study medicine, confessed: “When we were leaving, our parents told us: You can forget everything but Jesus!” There is no fear like fear. The history of fear goes back to the event of Adam’s Sin and Eve. They hid from the Lord God in paradise. The genesis of corruption at the end speaks of the justification of fear.
When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea, they excitedly said: “Myth!” And they cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately told them, “Get up. It’s me, don’t be afraid” (Mt 14:26-27).
Jesus urged the disciples to leave as soon as possible the place where the miraculous feeding of the crowd with five loaves and two fish took place. And he knew why. The group quickly realized their idle satiety and wanted to make Jesus king, which would suit them best (cf. Jn 6:14). Jesus is worried about the disciples, that under the influence of the miracle and thoughts about the earthly Messiah, they could get into a lousy enthusiasm. Jesus is known to go into the silence of prayer so that at the end of the day, he would meet the Father in prayer.
Jesus prepares the disciples for a new experience of faith. Man often finds himself in a situation where Jesus is invisible. It is a lesson in trusting the invisible God. Jesus is invisible, yet close. Although most of the apostles are fishermen, the situation in which they find themselves weighs more. In the middle of the sea alone, at night, in a storm, in the wind, with big waves. Isn’t it supposed to evoke fear and awareness of danger?
Isn’t the life of Christians similar to this situation? Anxiety, fear, and restlessness creep into hearts. The Christian is not freed from worries and mortal concerns about the world. When a Christian finds himself in any difficulties, trials, or threats, although he believes God knows about everything, he must do everything in his power. God can send help, give help, provide salvation, and nurture hope. However, a Christian must never claim a painless course of his earthly life. That is why even a Christian suffers, fears, and fears the actual values of body and spirit.
The disciples were tough men, they were fishermen, they did everything to save themselves. How could people become convinced that Jesus is far from them. Often only later, even after tragic events, do we realize that God has the right to remain silent in man’s need. A person proves himself even in situations where everything is at stake. An accident, even if a person loses his life, is not the greatest tragedy. Behavior is appropriate to the inside of a person. It is also subject to the pressure of the environment, the state of the situation, but the spirit can win over the body. You can talk about fear in everyone, but there is a difference between fear and fear. The life of a Christian is a life of faith. Faith manifests itself in different ways. In faith, the experience with Christ in need and distress manifests itself in a different way. Faith and fear have gradation and decay. The proverb says: “When the need is greatest, God’s help is closest”. Even those who do not believe in God are aware of this. They pray, beg, promise. Where all else has failed, rescue often comes. When a person cries out in fear: “Matoha!”, the answer comes: “Get up! It’s me, don’t be afraid” (Mt 14:27)! Nothing can stand against the power of God, only man with his “Non serviam!” “I will not serve!” God’s ways are incomprehensible to man. God stands by man even in the most difficult trials, even in dying. Heaven and earth will pass away, but the word of God will not pass away. God created man to live forever. A person should think about his soul. We cannot condemn anyone who, in difficult situations and in death, calls out to God, begs God, reconciles with God. It is a gift when a person sees God in need. Nothing can stand against the power of God, only man with his “Non serviam!” “I will not serve!” God’s ways are incomprehensible to man. God stands by man even in the most difficult trials, even in dying. Heaven and earth will pass away, but the word of God will not pass away. God created man to live forever. A person should think about his soul. We cannot condemn anyone who, in difficult situations and in death, calls out to God, begs God, reconciles with God. It is a gift when a person sees God in need. Nothing can stand against the power of God, only man with his “Non serviam!” “I will not serve!” God’s ways are incomprehensible to man. God stands by man even in the most difficult trials, even in dying. Heaven and earth will pass away, but the word of God will not pass away. God created man to live forever. A person should think about his soul. We cannot condemn anyone who, in difficult situations and in death, calls out to God, begs God, reconciles with God. It is a gift when a person sees God in need. reconciles with God. It is a gift when a person sees God in need. reconciles with God. It is a gift when a person sees God in need.
Situations of danger open the eyes of the body to realize the value of the world, but they also open the eyes of the soul. Conversions after life-threatening, near-death experiences are proof. “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water” (Mt 14:28). Faith means going to Christ. Faith is a risk. Faith is not a leap into the dark, a risk of uncertainty. Peter does not go into uncertainty. He goes to Jesus, after all. Jesus calls him. The darkness is breaking. Jesus rightly asks to detach himself from his boat, the way of life, people, attitudes, opinions, and relationships he has lived until now. Faith always means detachment. God becomes the only certainty. Every other assurance must give way. Jesus’ “Come” (Mt 14:29) is not yet a victory. The return to the old life, and its values, is solid; it seduces and questions the conversion. It is not surprising that after a while, even a short time, the ground under one’s feet is lost again, the state of health deteriorates, they leave their strength, and Peter’s cry remains: “Lord, save me” (Mt 14:30)! The love of God is incomparable to human sin. God helps. Even if the righteous God must say: “You of little faith, why did you doubt” (Mt 14:31)? Apparent silence, well-being, return of health, success know how to do their thing, make a mistake. Silence can do many evils when the conversion to God is not decisive, true, apparent peace.
However, God has power over little things, human hearts, and living and non-living nature. God’s love will not leave as long as there is a grain of love for God in a person’s heart. Everyone does not have to experience the struggle for the bare existence of life. The words will always apply: “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed” (John 20:29).
Friendly, encouraging thought! Belief in God has an essential place in a person’s life. That’s why we also have to ask ourselves: What place does God have in our lives? Do we believe in God in all circumstances, or only if it costs nothing?
R. Wurmbrand, in his book Believe, but Why, quotes the words of master Eckhardt: “If you are looking for something for yourself, you will never find God, because you make God a candle with which you look for something.” When you find it, you throw away the candle. Some desire to love God as a man loves a cow… for the milk, the cheese, and the benefit he gets from it.
” Christians do not love God for what they can get from him, but they love him because he is. Those who left him never knew him.
We must always know what place God has in our lives. It is faith in God, which we need not only on Sundays and holidays but also in our daily worries. True Christians are always faithful to God, even if he seemingly forgets them… The Old Testament sufferer Job says that even if God kills him, he will still believe in him: “I am convinced that my Defender lives… My eyes will see him …” (Job 19, 25; 27). Jesus also addresses the question of a healed blind man: “Do you believe in the Son of Man” (Jn 9, 35)? Our answer should be the same as his: “I believe, Lord” (Jn 9, 38).
The world will always be just as full of fear. Like the apostles on a stormy sea, the devil is always ready to fill hearts with fear. Jesus is willing to help us, to save us. We are not to be overcome by the hopelessness of fear. With him, we will be invincible. Without Jesus, we are nothing!
The French writer Francois Mauriac said: “At the end of my life, I feel no remorse… I have never stopped trusting in Christ; I have never been ashamed of Jesus and my faith.” Thank God!”
This example of a person who was and is considered a personality is also a challenge for us: not to sit back when we have to build our faith. Work on your relationship with God even when you are comfortable, and don’t put it off until tomorrow. Tomorrow, we don’t know, there may be a storm, a wave, a gale, or rain, and we may be alone at night. A life of faith is not a life of fear. It is suitable to build your life on the fear of God. Let God have an honorable and first place in our hearts, duties, and anxiety.
A martial arts student sat over a cup of tea with his teacher. He said, “I have mastered all that you have taught me. I would like you to teach me one more thing. To understand God’s ways.” The teacher didn’t say a word. He took the teapot and began pouring tea into his student’s cup. The cup was quickly full, but the teacher did not stop running. The tea spilled out of the cup, spilled over the table, and flowed onto the floor. The student said, “Enough! Enough! The tea is spilling! The cup won’t fit anymore!” The teacher looked at him and said, “You look like this cup. You are full of yourself, so there is no room for God in you. You cannot understand God’s intentions until you learn how to make room for God in yourself.”
A woman is also an opposite example and role model of a believer:
At first glance, there lived a pretty ordinary woman in one district town. But she had one exceptional ability. She could subtly enter other people’s lives and change them for the better. He always seemed to be there to help. She knew how to say the right words to those who couldn’t decide. She subtly encouraged the children when disappointment made them lose their courage. She was able to recognize the valid reasons for tension in the family, at the workplace… and find a cure for them. And at the same time, she remained inconspicuous, quite ordinary. At the end of the year, when the local newspaper announced a poll for the «Woman of the Year in their city,» her daughter decided to nominate her. When this woman heard about it, she was very touched. But she said to her daughter: “Thank you. I appreciate it. But I don’t think I would be the right candidate. I’m not doing anything special. I only do
What about our testimony of faith in God in moments of fear? Therefore, Let us be encouraged by the words that the parents said to this African student: “You can forget everything but God.” Let these words be an excellent lesson for us. Then, at the end of our life, our conscience will be clear and without reproaches. Parents are right to fear for their children. But when they give them God, they entrust them to God; they strengthen them with the gifts that God gave us, such as prayer, the sacraments, and an example of life, and they don’t have to be overly afraid.
