Hope for the Hurting: For the Hurting: Encouragement for Suffering SeasonsSample

Jesus told us to expect difficulties. This often brings to mind external problems like storms, wars, persecution, and sickness. While Jesus forewarned us of each of those things, the word our Bibles translate as trouble or tribulation refers to the internal pressure that comes when one feels trapped, without options and means of escape.

He knew His disciples would soon feel overwhelmed, yet still He told them, more than once, not to be afraid. His statements didn’t convey condemnation. He issued an invitation to seek Him and His strength.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled,” He said, as if He knew this would require a fight, later adding, “take courage.” In the original Greek, He’s encouraging us to strengthen ourselves from within, or more accurately, to allow God to strengthen us.

That’s how we battle our fears and weather hardship well: by trusting in and relying on Christ. As we intentionally reflect on who He is, what He’s done, and all He’s promised and evaluate our fears in light of all we know is true, our faith grows.

Life will feel hard and frightening at times. Jesus didn’t deny that, nor did He chastise His disciples for the intense emotions they’d soon experience. Instead, He acknowledged and validated them. But then He spoke His truth, peace, and love into them.

He invited them to let their fears drive them deeper in their relationship with Him. That was how they’d “take heart” or “have courage”, as some translations phrase it.

And in this, we see His tender heart to comfort and encourage us. To love us, because He knows it’s His love, not His anger or judgment, that has the power to cast out our fear and comfort our overwhelmed and hurting hearts.

~Warmly, Jennifer Slattery