Sometimes, it feels like the world is full of chaos, confusion, and conflict. Enemies seem to be multiplying. Trouble always seems to be coming our way. Our fears, our anxieties, our uncertainties, they can be debilitating. How should a Christian respond? 

The answer is simple: run to Jesus.

He’s your safe harbor in the storm of life. Look, fear and anxiety happen when we look to the future — and we must — of course. How else could we plan and be prepared for what may come? And I know it can be hard to trust in God's providence and protection. When fear and anxiety begin to cripple our relationships — our love for our spouses, or our children, our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers — that’s the time to run to God with all your might, to flood the present moment with a loving confidence in him, in God.

Or more precisely, to allow him to flood the moment with his love. When you recognize the anxiety in you, the fear, the disquiet in your soul, that’s the moment when you have to lean in and give God the opportunity to show you his providence and protection. And I don't mean just an idea of God, but the person of God, Jesus, a divine person you can have a relationship with.

Look, this is important: if you have a relationship with God that exists merely on the level of an idea, you don’t love God. At best, you love your idea of God, and that will bring little comfort. It's like the difference between loving your idea of your spouse and loving your spouse. The difference makes all the difference.

To love God rightly is to love him personally, and to love him personally is to love him, Jesus. You can love him. You are loved by him. You can know this, and you can grow in confident trust of this. Friends, Jesus is the only true path to peace in your heart and to peace in our time.

Run to your safe harbor.

Jesus changes everything.