{Excerpt from Fear Not!}

While I'm down here in Texas, over two thousand miles away from my family, I've been a little homesick. I miss my family, my church, and my home.  But today the Lord showed me something in my devotions and gave me the courage to press on. It came from the book Fear Not! by Rand Hummel (excellent book, I highly recommend it). So without further ado, here's what I learned right from the book.
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THIS IS WHAT GOD SAYS.
John 14:26-27
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

NOW THINK ABOUT IT.
In His farewell words to His twelve disciples, Jesus encouraged them by saying, "In My name, My Father will send to you His Holy Spirit, Who will be a Comforter and a Helper to you. The Holy Spirit will teach you all things and bring all things (everything I have already shown and taught you) to your remembrance. (Just because I will not physically be with you, you will not forget everything you have learned.) Peace I leave with you and My peace I give unto you. I do not give the kind of peace the world gives. Do not let your heart continue to be troubled. Don't be continually fearful. Don't be afraid."

HOW CAN THIS AFFECT ME?
There is a fear of losing those you love. There is a fear of never again seeing the ones you have grown to love the most. Life throws many such opportunities our way: military, college, marriage, job opportunities, war, rebellion, drugs, divorce, sickness, and even death. The ties of love are incredibly strong and the thought of not being with your family or friends can be devastating. In Scripture, men like Peter, Thomas, and Judas (not Iscariot) vocally struggled with the idea of Jesus leaving them. They loved Christ. They loved being with Christ. They may have thought that life could never be the same without being with Him. Jesus understood their fears and troubled hearts and sought to comfort them by promising the indwelling Holy Spirit. These guys needed faith to overcome their fear. They had to believe Christ's promise of  His indwelling Spirit that would comfort their hearts to the point they could experience love, joy, and peace without Him physically being by their sides. God's Holy Spirit is a Comforter. He is a Helper. In a way that cannot be explained with words, God's Spirit reaches into a believer's troubled heart and overwhelms it with hope. Fear is a form of "no hope" thinking. Man's fear says, "I'll never be happy again. It will never be like it used to be. Life is not worth living. I can't handle this! Lord, why are you doing this to me?" God's peace says, "I want God's will, no matter how hard it may seem at times. I am thankful for God's comforting presence when there seems to be no one else around. God will get me through this! I know it will never be as bad as I am imagining  it to be.  Thank You, Lord, for everything You bring into my life. You do what is best for eternity for Your glory and the good of others." The peace that God gives will overcome the fear that we grasp.
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I do have a fear of being away from my family. That something could happen and I might never see the ones I love most again. But I know God is in control, and that He will do what is best for eternity.

I miss you all back home, and I love you!