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Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. — Isaiah 41:10

One morning around 3 a.m. I was laying in my bed tossing and turning. I could not sleep because my mind was full of worry and anxiety. All of a sudden I heard Jesus speak to me, He said “Mary, I am here.” My fears went away and I felt a sense of peace come over my body.

Has there ever been a time when you were in trouble that Jesus did not appear? I’m not talking about Jesus just popped up and you saw Him in the flesh, I mean a time when you were in the thick of the storm and you felt the comfort of His loving arms around you and even though things were crashing down around you, somehow you made it out safely. Those times you had to acknowledge to yourself that you only made it through by the grace of God. Although God has always been there for me, there are two major times I remember that Jesus got me through the storm.

The first time was when my beloved firstborn son died suddenly. I’m not sure if we can ever really prepare for our loved one’s death, let alone our child, but I believe Jesus can provide comfort in the midst of our grief. For my family, Jesus allowed us all to be there when my son took his last breath. Although losing my son was the hardest thing I ever experienced, it gave me peace knowing he left the world the way he came in, surrounded by love.

The second was when I found out I had cancer. I knew my life would be changed forever, and I was so afraid. I was afraid of what would happen to me but mainly I was afraid for my family. I didn’t know how to tell them because I didn’t want to see the fear in their eyes. This led to being extremely angry with God and questioning His will. But God is a great God and he listened to me, soothed me, and gave me the right words to say to my family, and together, we all made it through.

Jesus is always there for us, but sometimes we are so busy standing in our way that we may not realize it. I love the Lord, I truly do, but sometimes I sin before my feet even touch the ground in the morning and it is during those times that I have to ask for forgiveness.

We all sin, none of us are perfect but the good news is that we can come to Jesus and cast our sins at His feet and He will wash us and bless us. That does not mean you have a “get out of jail free card.” No, indeed, sin is sin, and depending on what it is, you have to answer for it. But God tells us that He loves us and will forgive us. If we knock on the door, it shall be opened. He is always there for us, in the good times and the bad times.

And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. — Matthew 28:20

Be blessed in Jesus’ name.

Mary Simmons is a columnist for The Kenbridge-Victoria Dispatch. She can be reached at aboxoflove37@gmail.com.