Not once, not twice but three times in today’s Gospel Jesus exhorts us to not be afraid (Matthew 10:26, 28, 31). Seems to me that that He understands us very, very, very well.
STEP 1: Admit to God what you fear most might happen.
When we recall God is all-powerful we put ourselves in a position to start experiencing relief from worries and fears.
STEP 2: Place the situation in God’s hands.
In imitation of Jesus, commit it to Him. At the Last Supper the Jesus places the situation into the hands of His Heavenly Father: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). And again on the Cross: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46).
STEP 3: Tell God that you will accept whatever He allows to happen.
Trust God. Really trust Him. Doing this takes to heart Jesus’ bold declaration that whenever we declare Him as Lord, Savior and Messiah in our daily living, He will declare us to the Heavenly Father. This also is precisely what Jeremiah calls us to do in the First Reading when he professes, “the LORD is with me like a mighty champion” (Jeremiah 20:11). It always is for us to dare to open the door for God to do great things.
STEP 4: Acknowledge that God’s ways always are better than ours.
God marvelous expresses this truth through the prophet Isaiah: “For my [God’s] thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my way. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).
