John 16:33
I have told you all this so that
you will have peace of heart and mind. Here on earth you will have many
trials and sorrows; but cheer up, for I have overcome the world.”
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of TyndalePublishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All
rights reserved.
I will tell you, I have almost
stopped watching the news. Everywhere you turn, there are heartbreaks
and heartaches…wars, mistreatment of others, and injustice and
indignities that at least ought to curl our hair! Just in the
last few days, I have learned of the death of two 15-year-old football
players in a nearby town – the result of a car accident that left four
others injured (some critically). I’ve heard about several people who
have cancer or serious illnesses and injuries, the incredible
mistreatment of a misbehaving teenage girl in a South Carolina
classroom, and the ravages of war in the Middle East.
It’s
enough to make us nauseous…to cause us to throw up our hands and ask,
“LORD…where have You gone?” And the short answer is, “Nowhere! I’m
still right here.” So this begs the question…”Why?” And John 16:33
provides the answer. Jesus has overcome the world. The things
that rattle our cages and upset us…the words and actions that dare to
rip out our hearts and cause us to doubt and become discouraged…are all
part and parcel of this earthly – and often evil – world. And Jesus
overcame them all. He died on the cross and took sin upon
Himself, so that we have the chance to leave all of this behind
someday…and bask in His glory in Paradise.
I don’t mean to sound
the “Gloom and Doom Alarm!” There ARE good things happening in this
earthly life. We just have to dig a little deeper sometimes to find
them. Just today, I attended the adoption hearing for a toddler placed
in foster care with a family who is “like family” to Greg and me. In
his closing statements, the judge noted that he and his co-workers see
and hear terrible things in the courtroom…stories of abuse, neglect and
horrific injustices. And he stated that days like these are a joy to
them. To see a child who is so obviously loved and well-attended…who is
thriving in her new environment and has every prospect of a wonderful
and happy life…gives them hope and renews their efforts to serve all
children.
And so it is with us. This verse in John 16 should
serve to bolster our courage and our hope. Our faith should be renewed,
and we should be reminded to worry less and pray more - to allow the
Savior who has conquered this world to handle it and the challenges that
are offered…because He truly can!
I cannot say that I am not
affected by the trials and sorrows of this earthly life, because as a
human being, I simply am. But I can give them to God to handle
and trust Him to do so. I can live in faith and joy that my future –
the one that really matters – is secure, peaceful and perfect. I can
cheer up…and spread the Good News. And so can you!
©2015 Debbie Robus
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