When difficult situations arise or moments of great struggle come upon us, a common human reaction is one of panic. Even our bodies respond with physical manifestations of panic that can vary from person to person. In these moments we can also experience great mental anguish, as we try to navigate the tumultuous waters of tribulation. We know that this trials are sure to happen in our lives but is panic the inevitable human response? Do we have to live this way?
I was reading this morning about the early church in Acts 4. Peter and John were in hot water for preaching the message of Jesus and His resurrection. They quickly found themselves in jail and standing before the religious leaders, some of the same leaders that Jesus himself stood in front of. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, gave a powerful defense of their actions and the message that they proclaimed. Knowing that they didn’t have a lot of options, the leaders warned them not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus (which Peter and John said they would ignore) but they ultimately decided to let them go, with a few threatening words on their way out.
Although Peter and John responded with great boldness, it would have been easy for the disciples and the broader church to be gripped by panic. What was their response? They weren’t flippant about the danger they were in, rather knowing the seriousness of it, they prayed. Ultimately they prayed (Acts 4:24-30) for boldness to continue to speak the name of Jesus even with the treats of the leaders hanging over their heads. It’s a powerful prayer. They began their prayer with these words, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and earth and the sea and everything in them.” Their prayer for boldness was built on the sovereignty of God and this boldness was given to them by the Holy Spirit. They knew that their hope was not found in their abilities or their faithfulness in declaring the message, their hope was found in the sovereign God. They knew that everything that happened or would happen was in His hands and that gave them abundant hope and strength. We panic when the events of life seem to be out of control but if we believe in the sovereignty of God, there is no such thing as anything being out of control. God is not surprised by anything. We can trust in His sovereign hand, knowing that He will use everything that happens to us, good and bad, for His glory and our ultimate good. This doesn’t mean that we enjoy everything that happens or find our difficulties to be pleasant. No, we can recognize our difficulties as unpleasant and painful but we can do so with an attitude of trust not panic. God’s Word teaches us that panic is not inevitable. We can live in a state of trust, which is exactly what He desires for our lives. This message is just as much for me as it is for anyone else (maybe more!) as I struggle with this. With that said, I know that God desires us to live in a state of rest and trust in His promises. I was reminded of the rest that the sovereignty of God brings by the words of Charles Spurgeon:
“The sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which the child of God rests his head at night, giving perfect peace.”
Do you do desire to live a life that is characterized by rest and peace, rather than the frantic state of panic? If so, let us grow in our knowledge of the sovereign God and what it means to trust Him in all circumstances.