READ: GENESIS 32:1-12; 1 SAMUEL 30:1-6; HEBREWS 4:14-16

When you are afraid or in distress, where do you go? What do you do? Genesis 32 tells the story of Jacob preparing to see his brother Esau. These twins had a bad past—Jacob cheated Esau and then ran away. Years later, when Jacob heard Esau was on his way to meet him with four hundred men, the passage tells us Jacob was “in great fear and distress” (Genesis 32:7). He was afraid Esau was going to attack him because of their bad past. So what did Jacob do? He prayed! When Jacob was afraid, he went to God.

Later in the Bible, in 1 Samuel 30, we hear about David’s people being attacked while David was away, and many women and children were taken captive. Verse 4 says, “David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.” Then David “was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him,” but verse 6 tells us “David found strength in the LORD his God.” Like Jacob, David went to God when he was distressed. David found his strength in the Lord. The Lord was with David always, as He is with us.

Like Jacob and David, when we are afraid or in distress, whether it be stress about homework, fear of the future, or fear for a sick loved one, we can pray to God. He loves us, and He always wants to help us. Remember, Jesus Himself went to the Father in prayer when He was distressed. On the night before He went to the cross, Jesus was in anguish, and the Father heard His cries and lovingly sent an angel to strengthen Him (Luke 22:39-44). Because of Jesus’s sinless sacrifice, we can have a restored, close relationship with God. If we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that God has given us the Holy Spirit to equip us and strengthen us. So we can pray to Him whenever we’re worried or afraid. We can strengthen ourselves in God by spending time with Him through prayer or reading Scripture, and we can thank Him for being the God who hears. • Elizabeth Cooper

• What do you tend to do when you’re stressed out or afraid? Consider taking some time now to talk to God about any fears that come to mind. We can take comfort in knowing He always hears us, and He always cares about us. And when Jesus returns, we will never be distressed again.

• Can you think of a time you went to God when you were afraid and He protected or strengthened you? What was that like?

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4 (NIV)