Afraid to Ask

Have you ever had a time in your life when the Holy Spirit or God’s Word spoke to you, but the truth of the message did not make sense? The prophet Daniel, aware of God’s judgment over Israel and having received terrifying visions regarding future events, called out to Him and shared his concerns (Daniel 9). God sent an angel to minister to him. “He said, ‘Don’t be afraid, you who are treasured by God. Peace to you; be very strong!’ As he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, ‘Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me’” (10:19).

​Meditation
Mark 9:31,32—For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after He is killed, He will rise three days later. But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.
 
The disciples’ inability to ask Jesus about the most troubling words to leave His mouth is puzzling. But their fear makes sense. Their Messiah was predicting betrayal, murder, and resurrection. He was sharing God’s playbook, and it could not have made sense to them. After all, the Messiah was supposed to rescue Israel and bring about God’s kingdom; so how could Jesus speak of dying?  What might have happened had they swallowed their anxiety and asked for a deeper explanation? Would they have been better prepared to handle the forthcoming heartbreak?
            
Willam Gurnall wrote in The Christian in Complete Armour, “A soul deeply possessed with fear, and dispirited with strong apprehensions of danger, is in no posture for counsel.” Arnold Glasow observed that “Fear is the lengthened shadow of ignorance.” When we are afraid, we clam up, we hide, we avoid, we run, we lionize the obstacle. This is why Phil Downer counseled in Brave, Strong & Tender “A man afraid is a man in bondage.”
            
When we find ourselves in alarming situations that do not make sense or that cause us fear, like Daniel, that is the time to call out to God and seek His help, explanation, and counsel. He is a loving Father who understands our weaknesses and who is willing to put in our hearts and minds what we need to move forward. He will give us peace and strengthen us. So don’t be afraid to ask. Something to think about . . . in reveration.
 
Inspiration
“Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.”—Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
©2025 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  To receive these devotionals, go to www.firstcause.org and click the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed, subject to the inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)