“And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted;” Genesis 37:35a

When facing the uncertainties of life, insecurity sometimes wraps its ugly tentacles around our hearts. It whispers in our ear, “Yea, hath God said?” God is never the author of confusion. Confusion is a major weapon of the believer’s enemy. It brings relentless fear and must be defeated by the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Your tomorrow is already well-planned by your loving Heavenly Father, and His provision is there if you will only be still and know that He is God.

I have challenged the ladies in my Bible-study class to choose a reminder that Jesus loves them. I have chosen hummingbirds, and so I have filled my home with all shapes and sizes of them. A feeder swings outside my kitchen window drawing my graceful reminders.

One of my ladies was preparing to have invasive heart surgery. Her doctor assigned her to an out-of-state hospital so we would not be able to visit her there. She was facing numerous insecurities since none of her family was able to accompany her. I decided to send a funny card with her to be opened on the morning of her surgery. The crazy chimpanzee swinging from a branch encouraged her to, Hang in there! She had chosen balloons for her reminder, so I inflated a balloon, wrote Jesus Loves Me on it, deflated it, and placed it in her card. I told her to not open it until the morning of her surgery since we couldn’t be there.

I called her that morning and prayed with her. She was so excited about her balloon. Little did I know the journey that was prepared for that one little balloon. After surgery, her nurse texted me that the surgery had gone well and added that the patient had been a little feisty. She had insisted that all the doctors and nurses gather around her bed to pray with her before they put her under.

When she awoke, a big, yellow balloon with Jesus Loves Me was floating at the side of her bed. It had been discovered in a closed fist after the anesthetic took its toll. It had been smuggled through numerous pre-surgery tests and hygienic preparations. Upon discovery, questions began flying until someone noticed the words written on the limp, yellow rubber. Sensing its significance, it had been inflated and attached to her bed to greet the awaking patient. For the next week in recovery, she was known as “the balloon lady” as she walked up and down the halls passing out gospel literature. She was comforted in knowing Jesus loved her.

Knowing Jesus loves me is definitely a comfort in the uncertainties of life. Mr. Insecurity slinks away as I cling to God’s comfort. Being comforted is a choice. Cling to God’s promise of His love for you and smuggle it everywhere you go. The uncertainties will come, but clasp your hand ever tighter to your reminder. Jesus loves you now, and He always will!