“Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.”

The leader of a synagogue named Jairus came to Jesus and pleaded fervently, “My little daughter is dying… Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live” (Mark 5:23). Jesus went with him. But on the way, messengers came and told them that his daughter had died. In response, He spoke the words of our verse for today: “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.”

Like Jairus, we may have to deal with problems that can cause real fear to come into our lives. Like Jairus, it could be a health issue of a family member. It could be our own health issue. It could be a work or finance issue that causes the fear. It could be anything. In this life, fear can arise from problems in any area.

When these problems and issues come up and fear tries to take control of us, we may have no idea of what to do. All seems lost. The roof is caving in. Everything we tried to do about it failed. We ask the Lord, “What do I do now?” We ask, but without really expecting an answer.

The Lord, however, always has an answer. The Lord always answers each and every one of us. He always answers with the two commands of our verse for today.

First of all, He says, “Don’t be afraid.” Fear is an emotion. It arises within us as a response to problematic situations. When we don’t believe that God will help, fear has its way with us and wreaks havoc—inside and out.

That’s why the Lord always adds the second command to the first: “Just have faith.” When we have faith, when we choose to put into practice the faith the Lord has given us, fear has to go and we are able to enter the rest of the Lord (Hebrews 4:3).

Jairus must have obeyed the commands, because he allowed Jesus to enter his home and Jesus raised his daughter from the dead. If you are asking the Lord to help with your situation, then be like Jairus, and do likewise.

Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.

By John Huisman, friend of Bible League International