John 16:33 – I have said these things
to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But
take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Wouldn’t you
love to have a trouble free life? Our culture, marketing, media, and often even
the church seem to promise a trouble free life filled with total ease,
convenience, and pleasure without ever having to deal with unpleasant things,
disappointment, and pain. Yet, trouble hits us all sooner or later. Some of us
get hit with it constantly. The difference between our trouble-free
expectations and trouble-filled reality causes us anger, pain, and depression.
There are two aspects of dealing with trouble that amplify the negative
emotions and make it so hard to navigate. One is our expectation. The second is
the way we deal with the difficulty when it comes.
Many well-meaning
preachers have promised their would-be converts, “Come to Jesus, and all your
troubles will disappear!” Yet, Jesus never made any such promise. Look at the
verse above: “In this world you will have
trouble.” Trouble is part of this season of our existence. Our prayers
often do change our reality. God heals. Relationships are restored. Miracles
happen. However, the Christian life is not about a perfect life in the present
world. It is certainly a better life,
but it is an eternal life. The day will come when trouble will cease, but today
is not that day. Sometimes being a Christian means we face new and different
troubles, but expecting no troubles is a recipe for disappointment.
The second
question is: how do you deal with your trouble? You may be tempted to cry, to
whine, to fight, to give up, to run, to hide, to scream, or take it out on
those you love, but Jesus offers a different way – a much better way. He says
above, “You may have peace.” While all the problems and troubles are pressing
in, you can have a peace that is greater than all. This is not a placebo of naiveté.
This real, tangible, life-changing peace only has one source. Jesus says, “In me you will have peace.” It does not
come from a substance, and experience, or any other person. Jesus alone is our
source of peace. I have personally experienced the powerful peace Jesus brings countless
times, and I would love for you to have it in your life, as well.
Jesus told his
disciples the things he told them so they would have this peace in the midst of
the world’s trouble. I encourage you to spend time in those words. Read them
and live by them. Get to know the one who said them. He has overcome the world
through his resurrection, and he can give you real peace today.
