Reassurance
I would like to speak to you today about reassurance, with examples from reassured souls, and a discussion of the causes of reassurance and its obstacles.
The spiritual person—through faith—has a reassured soul.
Through this reassurance, he gets rid of anxiety, turmoil, distress, and the loss of peace, looking joyfully toward the future, with a calm heart amid all the external disturbances that may arise around him from the outside.
He says with David the Prophet, trusting in God’s protection of him: “Though an army may fight against me, my heart will not fear. And though battle rises against me, in this I am reassured” (Ps. 26).
Notice that David did not declare his reassurance during a period of calm and peace, but rather his reassurance while an army and battle were rising against him…
How many examples of reassurance does the Holy Bible tell us about:
Among them, we mention the reassurance of our father Abraham as he offered his son as a burnt offering.
He had received a promise that his descendants from this son would become as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sand of the sea. Nevertheless, when he was commanded to offer this son as a burnt offering, he was not troubled. He was confident that even if Isaac died, God was able to raise him from the dead and give him descendants as the stars of heaven and the sand of the sea.
Also, how wonderful was David’s reassurance when he fought Goliath the mighty one!
David was a boy and without weapons, except for his simple sling, while Goliath was mighty in his body and in his armor, frightening, so that the whole army trembled before him. Nevertheless, David advanced toward him, reassured that God had delivered this mighty one into his hand. And confidently he said to him: “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will kill you and cut off your head… for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will deliver you into our hands” (1 Sam. 17:46–47).
As for the reason for David’s reassurance, it was his feeling that “the battle is the Lord’s” and that the Lord would deliver Goliath into his hand…
Reassurance should be built upon faith, not upon a human factor, for this was the reassurance of Abraham and David…
It is reassurance built upon faith in God’s power over all things, and faith in God’s love, His work, and His wisdom; reassurance that God works with you for your good: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God” (Rom. 8:28).
There is another beautiful example of reassurance in the story of the Passover lamb.
Those who marked the doorposts of their houses with the blood of the Passover lamb were reassured inside the doors sprinkled with blood, completely confident that the sword of the destroyer would not reach them… They were reassured by that holy promise: “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.”
There is another reassurance among the saints during the working of miracles.
When Elijah raised the son of the widow of Zarephath, and when Elisha raised the son of the Shunammite woman, and when Peter said, “Tabitha, arise,” there was reassurance that God would answer, and that the spirit would return.
And when God’s people walked within the Red Sea, they were reassured that its waters would not close over them…
It is reassurance built upon faith in God’s work with us.
The one who feels the presence of God with him is reassured and does not fear…
Behold, David the Prophet says: “Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me” (Ps. 23). All reassurance lies in the phrase, “For You are with me.”
As for the reassurance of our fathers the martyrs, it had another reason…
It was their confidence that death is not the end of life, but rather the beginning of a happy eternity, in which they live with the Lord.
Therefore, they were not merely reassured in their prisons, but they were more than that—they were joyful… It is the reassurance of Paul the Apostle, who says: “I have a desire to depart and be with Christ. For that is far better…”
Are you also reassured when facing death?
If you are not reassured, then know that “sin is crouching at the door.” If you repent of this sin or sins, and cling to the Lord, then your reassurance will return to you…
“There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked…”
Truly, a sinful person cannot be reassured…
Behold, Cain lost his reassurance after the sin, when he felt that God had hidden His face from him. Therefore, he says to the Lord: “You have driven me out today from the face of the earth, and from Your face I shall be hidden, and I shall be a wanderer and a fugitive on the earth, and it shall be that everyone who finds me will kill me” (Gen. 4:14).
The believing and reassured person does not fear death, nor does he fear enemies…
With complete reassurance, Elijah the Prophet went to meet King Ahab. He knew that Ahab sought him to kill him, and that he had killed many prophets before, while some had hidden themselves from him… Nevertheless, Elijah went to him, reassured, because he was relying upon the Lord’s guidance of his life… He did not merely meet Ahab, but also rebuked him…
Another type of reassurance is related to doctrine and faith.
It is the person’s reassurance concerning the soundness of his doctrine, and his not being disturbed before doubts and before the distorted ideas raised by heretics.
In such reassurance was Saint Athanasius the Apostolic, who stood before all the doubts raised by Arius against the divinity of Christ. And with marvelous reassurance, he answered them all…
Not so is the one who is shaken before every idea from those who raise doubts.
The reassured person has a strong and steadfast heart that cannot be shaken…
Like the firm rock that the winds cannot move, and like the firmly rooted oak that the wind cannot shake. And like the rocks that the waters and waves cannot sweep away in their path.
Among the types of reassurance is also reassurance before the power of enemies.
The enemies surrounded the city, so Gehazi was shaken and afraid. But Elisha the Prophet was reassured. And he said to his disciple: “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” His reassurance was based upon holy visions, and upon his trust in God and His help in distress.
Jonah the Prophet was reassured even while he was in the belly of the fish. He was confident that he would return and see the temple of God.
How beautiful are the words of David the Prophet about his reassurance: “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone have made me dwell in hope.”
We need, my brethren, to feel continually that we are dealing with God, and not with people, nor with circumstances.
And as long as we are dealing with God, we are reassured, because God is the Maker of good things. And everything He made, He saw that it was very good…
The person who loses his reassurance is the one who feels that external circumstances control him, and that evil people can affect the destiny of his life! But you, do not be like that. Know that you are in the right hand of God, and that not a hair from your head falls without His permission… Therefore, you are reassured…
If you are walking with Christ upon the waters, do not look at the water, but rather at Christ, and you will be reassured…
Among the reasons that help you to be reassured is your remembering God’s promises…
Remember God’s saying: “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” And His saying: “I am He, do not be afraid.” And His saying: “Do not fear, for I am with you.” And His saying: “If a mother forgets her infant, I will not forget you…” If you remember this, you will surely be reassured…
The reassured person is able to spread reassurance among others.
His reassurance is not limited to himself, but extends to others. Likewise, the troubled or fearful person can transmit the infection from himself to others, so that his turmoil and fear extend to others…
The reassured person lives happily in his life, growing in his spiritual life…
That is because there is no fear or turmoil to hinder him. And fear, without a doubt, confuses a person and obstructs his thinking. Therefore, how difficult is the saying of the Book of Revelation: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8).
Look how He placed the fearful before sinners and idolaters. You live reassured if you realize that God’s wisdom is above your understanding.
It is enough to place your life in His hands and leave it there.
And be reassured that God cares for you more than you care for yourself. And that He wants good for you and is able to accomplish it. All those who lived with Him were happy in their lives, so be reassured.
Yet your reassurance should be continual reassurance, and not reassurance at certain times and on certain occasions.
Do not allow your faith to weaken at any time, so that you lose your reassurance, as happened to Peter when he lost his reassurance while he was upon the water, and he fell, while Christ was with him?
Do not allow the factors of fear and doubt to overcome you and deprive you of your reassurance.
Be like Nehemiah, who wanted to build the wall of Jerusalem, and afflictions surrounded him from outside, along with many doubts and discouragement. But he remained steadfast, and continued in his reassurance until the wall was built… He was confident that the wall had to be built, because the will of God must be accomplished…
Saint Anthony was reassured while dwelling in a tomb, and the demons were fighting him. He said to them confidently: If God has not given you authority over me, none of you can harm me.
Noah was reassured in the ark, while he was among the beasts.
An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III — El-Keraza Magazine — Tenth Year (Issue 43), 26/10/1979
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