For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39, KJV

Most days when I walk into my classroom, I see and hear familiar sounds, conversations, and behaviors. I usually know what to expect from my students and my coworkers. However, sometimes I look around my classroom and think that my comfortable surroundings could easily change in an instant…

As educators, we all have fears that sometimes pop up in our minds. Our jobs are not the easiest and they come with risk. We watch the news and hear about other educators affected by horrifying experiences…allegations, angry parents and students, and school safety concerns…it can feel overwhelming at times.

In the book of Romans, Paul was all too familiar with how believers suffer from anxious thoughts or fears related to their daily situations and their walk with Christ. But instead of focusing on the fears, Paul reminds the believers of the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. He urges them to understand that human existence brings about human suffering. But he also reaffirms the existence of the Spirit of God who makes that human suffering less of the problem. He turns the believers’ focus to God’s incomprehensible love for them regardless of what they are going through.

This truth is our hope in times of anxiousness!

Today, when you are tempted to worry about anything that might pop up unexpectedly in your day, take a moment to recall Paul’s words that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Father, Most High King, we thank You that no matter what the circumstance, You are there. You love us amidst our fears and failures. Help us, faithful Lord to remember that Your Spirit is interceding on our behalf and that You are for us. In Jesus’s precious name, we pray, Amen.

Copyright Angela O’Keefe.

Angela is a member and teaches children with learning disabilities in Florida.