“When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come?’” (Matthew 11:2,3). Undoubtedly as John the Baptist stared at the prison walls, he wondered, “Okay, Jesus, are you for real?” 

Don’t we do the same thing? We know Jesus, we point to Jesus, we pray to Jesus. But when our prison moment comes—like a health scare, relationship trouble, self-worth issues—we begin to question, “Okay, God, are you really in control? Do you really love me?”

Jesus didn’t give John a yes-or-no answer but pointed to his body of work. He pointed to his preaching, teaching, and miracles.

When doubts arise for us, Jesus gives us a similar answer when we say, “Okay, God, where are you?” He says, “I am always with you.” He says that he has plans for us. He says, “It is finished,” and all our sins are forgiven. God’s body of work, his Word, speaks volumes to how much we are treasured. Despite how things look on the outside, God is in control.

So while the world will tempt us to turn away from God or to turn to the idols of drugs, sex, or alcohol to numb our pain, Jesus invites us to turn to him for forgiveness and for love. We can know that he is the Savior, he is our friend, he is our helper, and he will never leave us.