I have this thought, occasionally, which creates a bit of anxiety. Maybe you do too, “I trust God and his plans, but what if his plans include bad things that I fear, even though those bad things may have a purpose I cannot understand.”

To overcome this fear, I try to remember that God loves me, and all of His children, so much more than we can imagine.

John writes in 1 John 4:16-18, “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” and in verse 18, “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

And Paul writes in Ephesians 3:16-18, “Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

Without a doubt we will experience difficulty, sorrow and uncertainty, but we can always return to the knowledge that God loves us and we can expel our fear with this knowledge.

Dear Lord, what peace it provides to know that you love us beyond our understanding. Help us overcome our fear with this peace and realize the fullness of life and power that you promise. In Jesus’ name. Amen.