It is only January of 2023, and there are already reports of a devastating ‘bomb cyclone’ hitting California, a deadly cold gripping East Asia, flash floods in New Zealand and Malaysia, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, and the most recent Palestinian terrorist attacked near Jerusalem synagogue. It is no wonder even the secular world is using the biblical “last days” term to describe the unsettling situations in today’s world and society.

Yet that is not all. What hits closer to home are the troubling global economy, the lay-off of employees by big-tech companies, the elevated global food prices, and the surge in energy, oil and gas prices. These are all real problems that are happening both internationally and in the country we are living and working in locally.If that is not bad enough, imagine you just encountered a worrisome medical report, a lost job, a divorce, or bankruptcy, and you feel the world is crushing and crumbling down around you, causing you to feel breathless and despaired and rendering you helpless or even suicidal.

I was experiencing one of those bad days in my life most recently, and it has left me fearful and desperate for God’s restoration and healing. I do not believe that God has left me to fend for myself. My belief of God is that He is always faithful, always near to those who call upon the name of the Lord, and He is trustworthy. He constantly inclines His ears to the prayers of the saints, and answers our prayers in His time, according to His will. So without much delay, I immediately laid my petition at His feet and sought His intervention.

One of my favorite parables of the Bible is the one where Jesus was asleep on a cushion in the stern while the wind was howling and the waves were crashing over the side of the boat. Jesus was sleeping soundly and peacefully even as the storms raged on. His disciples were looking at the natural (the fierce storm) and not at the supernatural (their Rabbi and Lord Jesus). The parable ended by telling us that Jesus intervened and gave a command to the wind and the water to stop, and the lake became calm at once. (Mark 4:35-39) ​I want to see my life in the boat with my Lord and Savior Jesus. He can be at the bow or at the stern as long as His presence is there with me. That is because it gives me great comfort knowing that He is close to me, and He is my very present help in times of dangers and in times of trials and persecutions. I know that even when a huge storm rages in my life, as long as Jesus is there with me, there is nothing to fear; He will calm my soul and deliver me from all my troubles. He has been faithful every time throughout my life from the moment I knew the Lord, and He has not let me down once!

Can I walk my talk? Not immediately when trouble comes knocking at the door. But as I bring my problems before the Lord, and after He has calmed my nerves and give me His peace, I find myself letting go and letting Him take control of the situation on my life-boat. It becomes easier and easier to trust God when He proves Himself ever so faithful and loving to me.​ So, if you are feeling down-hearted, hurt, disappointed, betrayed, depressed or even suicidal, run to the Lord Jesus now! Pour out your grievances, sufferings, worries and pain to Him. He truly cares and He has the power to save and deliver you and me!

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in the spirit.

– Psalm 34:18