In today’s daily devotion from Watchman Nee, the great Christian evangelist reminds us, “Do not be afraid.”
Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you. Acts 27.24.
Watchman Nee writes:
He who really has God’s promise is usually restful and calm in his demeanor, for to him that promise is as good as realized. When Paul met with danger from the sea on his journey to Rome, he could stand among his fellow passengers and declare: “Sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even so as it hath been spoken unto me.” Let us further observe that “when he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all; and he brake it, and began to eat.” Such was Paul’s attitude towards the promise of God. This created such a deep impression on his fellow passengers that they were “all of good cheer, and themselves also took food (v.36).
First Impressions
After reading this devotion, my first impression was, “Well, that was Paul, but it’s not me. Paul was visited directly by Jesus on the road to Damascus. That experience gave him the assurance and confidence to know that God was with him.”
But then I paused and realized that God visits each of us every day, keeping us safe from harm, blessing our endeavors, and providing our daily bread in every way. And while my conversion to God, which involved opening my eyes to Jesus, was not as dramatic as Paul’s, it was still profound and life-changing. Before, I was lost, not knowing God. After, I was found, recognizing that Jesus is the Messiah. And while I did not have the direct conversation with God that Paul experienced, my awakening changed my life in every way.
Setting An Intention
Therefore, I want to live my life as if Jesus blinded me as I traveled on the road of my life of unbelief and spoke with me directly as He spoke to Jesus:
And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ -Acts 9:4-6
Armed with this confidence, I can live more in alignment with what Watchman Nee spoke of above when he said, “He who really has God’s promise is usually restful and calm in his demeanor, for to him that promise is as good as realized.”
We all long for peace and calm in our lives and want to embrace the command, “Do not be afraid!” So why don’t we claim it? The only thing stopping us is the limitation of our minds. If we choose to believe that our conversion was as powerful as Paul’s, then we can more fully embrace the trust and assurance that Paul experienced in his life.
And if you are reading this and you’re not a believer, imagine for a moment how glorious it would be to live in a profound state of rest and calm. If that idea is attractive to you, then play a mental game using your imagination. Imagine that the Creator of the Universe stopped you in your tracks and spoke directly to you, saying, “I am Jesus. Rise and enter the city, and you will be told what to do.”
Do Not Be Afraid
Life is difficult, even for the strongest among us. We can “go it on our own” and get by fairly well. That is, of course, until we run into some trouble. Then we inevitably suffer. The more trouble we have, or make for ourselves, the more we suffer. But we don’t have to live our lives this way. There is an alternative.
For those who believe, we need to renew our faith every day. God has reached out to us just as He reached out to Paul. Claim it. And for those who have yet to come over, you can take a leap of faith and put on belief as you would a new jacket. Try it and see how it fits. Humans are hard-wired to believe in a higher power. That’s because a higher power created us. Until we embrace faith in God, we will suffer more than we need to.
That being said, faith in God is not a panacea. Life still gives believers plenty of trouble. But faith arms us with a mindset that promotes rest, peace, and calm. God has instructed us, “Do not be afraid.” Let’s take a risk, trust His command, and see what happens. I know the deeper I put my faith in God, the more restful and peaceful I feel. Why not give it a try for yourself?
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Focus Keyphrase: Do Not Be Afraid
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