Have you ever been in a place in your life in which you wondered, “Does Jesus care?” Perhaps you have experienced a tragedy, gone through a trial, or experienced any other number of circumstances that have caused you to doubt whether Jesus actually cares for you. I have been there myself. I have had times in my life when I have wondered why it seemed that everything around me was falling apart. I have experienced moments when I have cried out to the Lord while wondering if He even cared.
As we get ready to take our oldest child to college, things in our home and family are rapidly changing. I find myself overwhelmed with a plethora of emotions. I have felt a sense of depression taking control. I am thrilled that our daughter is going to college and that she is in God’s will for her life, but that does not take away the sense of loss I feel knowing I will not see her face or hear her voice every day. With my daughter going away to college, we have some different circumstances in our home that need to be addressed. There are things that she used to do in our home and for our family that she obviously will no longer be able to do. This is in addition to the extra finances that are needed.
To put it simply, I am feeling quite overwhelmed right now. I wrote previously about how I changed my perception and how I am excited to see how the Lord is going to provide for these new circumstances. However, I would be lying if I said that some of my worry is not returning as the deadline draws nearer.
The devil has started whispering in my ear, “Does Jesus care? What makes you so special that He would take note of you? He has bigger, more important things to care for.” The Devil is a master of creating doubt, worry, and fear. The Bible says in II Timothy 1:7, For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. In order to overcome the whispers of the Devil, I need to draw closer to the Lord. I need to drown out the voice of the Devil with the voice of God.
As I sat in church yesterday, my friend sang the song “Does Jesus Care?” Tears filled my eyes as I remembered that He does, in fact, care! Then, last night before church started, His care for me was made tangible. A former Sunday school student of mine from many years ago approached me and handed me a Reese’s peanut butter cup. She said that she was standing in line at the store, saw it, and thought of me. She remembered that it was my favorite candy, then she bought it and gave it to me before church. I absolutely love Reese’s cups, but it was not the candy that touched my heart. When she gave me that Reese’s cup, I cried because I was reminded that Jesus cares. I knew that the Lord spoke to her and that He was sending me a tangible reminder that, yes, He cares!
The next time you are confronted with the Devil’s whispers as he tries to convince you that Jesus does not care, just look around. I would bet that God has sent or is sending you a reminder that He cares. Perhaps it will come through a sermon, a song, a note, a kind gesture, or some other way to let you know that, yes, He cares!
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. – I Peter 5:7
by Crystal Collingsworth