Friday, November 3, 2017

What Difference Does Jesus Make?

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (I Peter 5:6-7 NIV)

Our campus ministry association recently met with the university counseling center staff to discuss the latest trends and concerns for students on campus.  They reported the number one problem for which students seek their help is anxiety.  Causes ranged from family issues, such as divorcing parents, to relationship issues and academic pressures.  They all agreed students are finding it increasingly more difficult to balance the demands and pressures of life in a healthy way.  

Working with students as well, I, too, see this trend.  But what I will often ask is: what difference does Jesus make?  I work mostly with students who claim to have a relationship with Jesus, but I see them often getting swept along by the current of the campus culture which seems to elevate “stress-outtedness” to a badge of honor.  Many times they seem to approach life’s difficulties no differently than do the students who claim no faith.   So the question seems to be appropriate.

Jesus is supposed to make a difference in our lives, right?  So why is it that it seems so often He doesn’t?  I think Peter gives us the answer here.  Humbling ourselves means acknowledging our weakness and our need for help.  When my father died while I was in college, my grief was overwhelming, but I attempted to be strong and handle it on my own.  It didn’t work so well because I refused to humble myself before the Lord and my brothers and sisters in the faith to ask for help.  I tried to handle it on my own.

People are often crumbling under the pressures of life because they refuse to acknowledge their weakness.  But Peter tells us (as does Paul—II Corinthians 12:8-10) this is the only way to manage what life throws at us.  And we can do this with confidence because He cares for us.  He’s not going to laugh at us or be annoyed with us because of our problems.  Instead, He will take our anxieties and comfort us.  

Today, as you consider your struggles, think about this: What difference does Jesus really make in how you are dealing with them?  He should make all the difference in the world if you are willing to acknowledge you can’t handle your problems without Him.

© Jim Musser 2017

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