Do not despair (lose heart)

Perplexed, but not in despair. (2 Corin. 4:8)

Perplexed : puzzled, at a loss, confused; mystified, baffled, bewildered

Despair: misery, hopelessness, anguish, gloom, lose heart

Studying these two words, you think one may be just an extreme case of the other. Perplexed appears to mean some level of distress but there is still time for something right to happen. Where despair, well, now all options appear to have been exhausted and there is no good resolution in sight.

I stumbled across this verse shortly after reading about Jesus walking on the water. A fabulous rescue, wouldn’t you say? He’s been out healing people left and right. He just fed 5,000. His friends were out in a boat on the stormy sea – and Jesus came right to them walking on the water. But you need to read those verses a little closer. Because what I realized and found out, was that several hours past between the guys in the boat in the storm – and when Jesus came across on the waters. These two events are only  three verses apart. Yet the disciples were told to get in the boat early evening (6:00pm) (see Matt. 14:22) and Jesus came to them during the fourth watch (3:00 – 6:00am) (see Matt. 14:25). Which means they were fighting the storm for nine, ten or more hours on their own. Where was Jesus? Hours went by. Surely He knew… They must have questioned… wondered… Did they panic under these circumstances? Were they simply perplexed (baffled, mystified, bewildered) or did they lose heart (despair) that Jesus would not ever come?

Can you imagine the anxiety level? Even when He does come, the Bible says they are terrified. It’s only when He steps into the boat with them that everything calms down and they worship Him saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Are you at a place in life where you are waffling between perplexed and despair? Are you closing in on terrified? Do not live without hope. Jesus will come. He will get right into the boat with you. Take heart! He says. I overcome anything this world dishes out (John 16:33). You too, can know, as the disciples did, that – “Truly you are the Son of God!”