Mark 9:30-32

³⁰ They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; ³¹ because he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will be raised again.” ³² And they did not understand what he was saying but were afraid to ask him.

choosing not to share

Jesus was spending some intensive training time with his disciples, seeking to get them ready for the tragic ordeal they would soon face when Jesus is arrested and crucified. He intentionally chose not to share the Gospel to the community around them. He was concentrating on equipping his disciples. People in ministry have to make choices like that sometimes.

But, notice that the disciples were holding back their questions, and refusing to share them, because they were afraid of the answers. This is never right. When we pray to Jesus for answers, we will not always get them. Sometimes we have to face the fire in faith, not knowing the outcome. But sometimes we enter our times of trial unprepared because we simply were too afraid to ask.

LORD, give us wisdom to seek insight into our future, guidance for how we can face it.