The Lord showed me the above Scripture right after I was hospitalized with stroke symptoms two months ago. I confess that I was initially overcome with fear and dread as I thought about all of my relatives who had experienced strokes, and were left with permanent disabilities. The Lord used this verse to say to my heart, "Keep going!" He didn't want me to become paralyzed with fear, but He wanted me to "believe confidently in [Him], and to trust in Him," so that I could move forward in faith.

Jesus urges His disciples to resist being afraid by putting their faith and confidence in Him and the Father. He knows that when we take our eyes off of Him, we tend to lose our focus and our godly perspective, and it's too easy for us to get stuck. He wants us to remember that God is always in control, that nothing surprises Him or catches Him off guard, and that He is always available to comfort, strengthen, and guide us through troubled waters.

Each time I was tempted to succumb to fear or dread during my trials, I heard the Savior's voice saying, "Keep going!" And I knew that this was my cue to purposely place my faith and confidence in Him, and to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Perhaps you are facing some challenges of your own today. Rest assured that when the Lord allows you to face adversities of any kind, He has a divine purpose for them, and He will use them to profit you somehow in the future. (Romans 8:28) In the words of the Master, I urge you today - "Do not let your heart be troubled…have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, and KEEP GOING!"

Prayer: Lord, when I am faced with troubles of any kind, empower me by Your Spirit to resist becoming fearful or fretful. Help me, instead, to dig into Your Word and promises, and to lean heavily upon them, and You, night and day. Make Yourself real to me in fresh, new ways, and fill me with a fresh sense of hope. Thank You that as I praise You in the midst of trouble and pain, my victory and success are guaranteed!