"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33
I think as Christians living in one of the most peaceful and prosperous nations of all time, it is easy for us to forget the clear message of Jesus is that his followers will suffer trouble...AND overcome it! Personally I find myself always seeking to find a life of comfort that will allow me to sit back, relax, and enjoy a life filled with ignorance of the trouble others are facing, or the trouble that might be trying to lurk at my own doorstep. Thankfully, the Lord hasn't given up on me yet, so He constantly allows trouble to come my way in order that I will learn the second part of this passage, which is the vital truth that my Lord has already overcome every obstacle that I will ever face, and if we are to become like him, we must also learn to thrive in troubled times.
Jesus was no stranger himself to trouble. He repeatedly stirred the anger of the religious folk in his time, so much so, that they had him murdered after repeatedly failed attempts. In fact, as he spoke the passage I have posted above, he knew his time was about to come, and that all of his disciples were about to abandon him, leaving him with only his Heavenly Father for strength. His message to the disciples at this time was an astounding triumph. "I HAVE overcome the world." In his heart, he had conquered the internal anxiety of suffering and trouble, and was able to have peace in the most troublesome time of his entire life.
Ever since my family's journey began up here at Morningstar, the Lord has been teaching me about trouble. I remember years ago hearing a pastor tell of how God told him to move to another city, and how God confirmed his will by allowing the man to sell his house in a matter of days after putting it on the market. I just knew that God would also confirm his desire for us to move up here by giving us the same treatment. Oh boy was I wrong. After having a bad experience with renters, the Lord clearly spoke to me to sell our house last June, and I was sure it would sell within the month. It has taken nearly a year to sell the house, and I assure you it was for no lack of faith, fasting, declaring, praying, obeying, and hearing. The Lord's word to me was very clear to sell, and every time I inquired again about another means to take off the burden, God would speak clearly that we should sell, and not rent again. I know the Lord must have been enjoying himself as he watched us pay the monthly mortgage AND the rent of our apartment, knowing how much squirming I was doing to get out of the circumstance. Some might say that we didn't have enough faith or we would have had a resolution sooner. But something deeper was going on through the trouble that I could not pay enough money to learn - I was learning to overcome my trouble, not just get out of it.
To overcome trouble is one of the most valuable experiences that a person of faith can ever experience. To be quickly relieved of every problem of life doesn't necessarily mean that God is smiling upon us, because without trouble we have no opportunity to learn to have peace in God when the world seems to be coming down at it's foundation. This is what is meant by Jesus' parable of the 2 men who built houses - one on the sand and one on the rock. The house built on sand did not pass the test of the storm because the foundation was not strong enough. Jesus' message in that parable was not that we should build the house in a location that is protected from all storms. That's absurd and impossible. He just recommended building on a firm foundation. How is that applied to life practically? Well, in my example with my home and moving to Morningstar, I had to learn that I will not make my decisions in life based upon the most financially beneficial situation. I must learn to follow God, even when that sometime means the loss of something I enjoy having in this life. Isn't this the message of the Gospel? He who finds his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for my sake will find it - these are the words of Jesus. I cannot imagine how disappointing life would have been if I had not made this move. God's purposes have come alive in our family through our obedience to move into a new city and be a part of the Body of Christ here locally. But it has cost us dearly to make this move, and all the while, God is teaching me that life isn't about the money I can make to have a comfortable life. It is about learning to walk with him, having a heart that is full of peace and free of anxiety, knowing that Christ in me has overcome every trial of life. That is something money cannot purchase. I have not fully arrived at this reality, but I am well on my way. My prayer is that you too will move forward in the reality that you no longer must fear trouble, but that you will learn to overcome trouble through Christ who lives in your heart. Check out this same scripture in the Amplified Version:
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]" - John 16:33
