Miracles, Reality, and Worry

one

The Miracles of Jesus

Immediately after the Sermon on the Mount Jesus works twelve miracles, one right after the other.

First, Jesus heals all the sick brought to him, demonstrating He has power over physical illness. Then, immediately he gets into a boat with the disciples and they set off across the sea. And a violent storm arises. But Jesus is fast asleep. So they cry out, “Lord don’t you care that we are dying?” Jesus awakens, and rising up, he commanded the winds and the sea, “Silence! Be calm!” At once the wind dropped, and a great tranquility occurred. Jesus has power over the forces of nature.

When they reached the other side, a man possessed by a legion of more than 5000 demons confronted Jesus. This man was so totally out of control that he had to be continuously bound with chains which he broke. Jesus spoke the word and the demons fled the man going into the herd of pigs who rushed down the steep cliffs and were drowned. When everyone heard about this they came out to see for themselves and to their surprise the man who was completely out of control was sitting at the feet of Jesus, restored to peace and calm. Jesus has power over the forces of hell and the power to restore calm to our lives.

two

Once they go back to the Capernaum, a father approaches Jesus: My little daughter is dying.

Jesus heads to his house but they stop him saying – it’s no use, she is dead. Still, Jesus goes into her room and taking her by the hand he says to her, 'Little girl, I say to you, arise'. She arose at once and began to walk about. At this, the people are overcome with astonishment. Jesus has power even over death.

Jesus has power over sickness, power over the forces of nature, power over the forces of hell, power even over death. Who is this man? He is God. And his miracles bear witness to His divine identity.

three

You might be thinking – I’ve prayed for a miracle and nothing’s happened. Jesus does not heal everyone now or work all the miracles we ask of him. Why not?

Because God’s plan for our lives is something far greater than a physical, emotional or mental healing. God’s goal is to get us ready for heaven and to make us like himself.

CCC 549 By freeing some individuals from the earthly evils of hunger, injustice, illness and death, Jesus performed messianic signs. Nevertheless, he did not come to abolish all evils here below, but to free men from the gravest slavery, sin, which thwarts them in their vocation as God's sons and causes all forms of human bondage.

The purpose of life is for God to get us ready for heaven. To accomplish this, we must be emptied of all that blocks us from being filled by God. Suffering is one of the most effective means to accomplish this. If you are suffering, it means God is there, he is working to empty you and your loved ones so that He might fill us with His divine life and make us ready for heaven.

four

We know Jesus has power over everything, still we worry. So we need a strategy to overcome worry and learn to trust in Jesus.

             i.        Identify your specific source of worry. Are we worried about future things that almost never happen; or things over which we have no control; or things we have been procrastinating. What is the specific cause of worry?

           ii.        Take some pressure off, Lower the stakes

We make the stakes way bigger than they really are. Most likely, the thing we are worrying about probably won’t kill us or anyone else.

          iii.        Failure is good. We have the false idea that failure is bad, even deadly and this becomes a cause of anxiety. We must fail to grow. The only way we grow is to try things we haven’t mastered. This entails risk. If we play it safe all the time – it will be impossible for us to grow. There is no failure – there is only learning.

        iv.        Exposure to gain evidence. The only way to overcome worry is to face it, go through it, and gain evidence that it was never as bad as we thought it would be.

          v.        Live in the present moment. So slow down. Focus on what can and must be done today. Make a plan for the near future. But once you make your plan – quit living in the future and just do the next right step today.

five

Jesus has power over everything, we don’t.

When we are overwhelmed by anger, fear or worry we need to get back to reality.

Reality is this: Jesus, who healed the sick, calmed the sea, drove out the demons and raised the dead to life is the Good God who created a good world, and He is guiding all things to a good conclusion. That is reality!

When you have the right perspective it puts everything in, well, the right perspective.

So identify what is bothering you, then do what is in your power, and surrender the rest to Him.

You are in the hands of a good God, who created a good world and He is guiding absolutely everything to the best of all endings.

Jesus, I surrender to you. Take care of Everything.