“Jesus knows very well the distress to come and how easily we give in to fear of what may happen. He does not want us to be so focused on these distressing signs that we lose the courage and strength to wait on Him. On the contrary, He wants us to be truly courageous as we face them and wait for His return.”

“People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

With these words, Jesus described the mortal fear that we would face before experiencing His glorious return.

Thus, we must cultivate courage as we wait for the glorious return of Jesus Christ if we are going to survive the ordeals that will precede His glorious return. The patient waiting that characterizes the Advent Season demands great and constant courage on our part. Unless we learn how to be courageous, we cannot experience the glorious return of the Lord after the time of trial and distress, “They will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

Jesus also gave us a way to cultivate a courageous heart this Advent. He calls us to be vigilant and prayerful, “Be vigilant at all times and pray that you may have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.” ….