I went on vacation 2 weeks ago. It was supposed to be a fun and enjoyable time. And to some degree, it was. But within 2 days, I had a family member receive bad reports from doctors.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t panic.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t cry.
I’d be lying if I said I weren’t afraid.
Once I collected my thoughts and reassessed the situations, I calmed down. Then came the guilt for being afraid in the first place. Christians who really trust God aren’t supposed to be afraid, right? Because they trust in God. If you’re afraid, it shows you don’t have faith. And if you don’t have faith, God can’t help you. Or so they say.
Then I read the story of Jesus walking on the water in Mark 6:49:
“…but when they saw Him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost.”
Keyword: Terror. Not faith. Not joy. Not optimism. Terror.
And yet, Jesus stopped when He heard their cry. The Bible actually says that He intended to go by them; but they cried out in terror, and He stopped and helped them. He’s THAT compassionate.
I’m not saying that we shouldn’t have faith. I’m not saying that when bad times come we should be afraid. I’m just saying, don’t feel bad if you are afraid at first. You don’t have to have all the right words. You don’t have to have all the right thoughts. He’s just waiting for you to cry out. Whether in faith or in terror. He loves you enough to answer both.
