Worried? Jesus offers his peace
Updated: Nov 27, 2023
Description: God is almighty. He cares and keeps his promises. This is a time to trust him. Jesus himself offers comfort for troubling times.
As we all know, in today's world we witness aggression, lies and exploitation lying naked before us. It’s understandable that we might doubt God. Yet in Jesus he foretold all these things and more.
Matthew recounts Jesus’ words: ‘You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth-pains’ (Matthew 24.6-8).
Jesus said, ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world’ (John 16.33).
Jesus’ gracious invitation
Jesus also gives an open and gracious invitation: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light’ (Matthew 11.28-30).
We are encouraged to bring our worries to Jesus. He wants to give us his rest: in our hearts, our minds, and our souls.
Big mistake to limit God
Because we are of the earth, our minds cannot truly grasp all our heavenly God can do – even though the Bible presents us with page after page of our God’s awesome and breathtaking involvement in human history. We tend to impose our own limits on what we think God can do (probably quite subconsciously).
This is a big mistake. God – our Father in heaven – is almighty…ALMIGHTY. There are absolutely no limits on what he can do with just a breath or a word. And we should never forget it.
Troubles come – too often very worrying troubles – but our God is in ultimate charge. He always has been and always will be. Through Jesus, we can approach him with confidence. We can pray and he will listen.
No matter how bad things may appear, we should remember Paul’s words in Romans 8.28 and ‘know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.’
We’re in safe hands
Jesus offers his peace. We must offer him our faith, and trust in him whose love has overcome the world.
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
