“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 hung up the phone feeling as if I could have offered more comfort, shared more wisdom, and offered my friend more help. There are times we each have to face the pain the Lord allows into our lives and let Him guide us through. There are times when we have to cry and reconcile; learning to accept that often life is just plain hard.
So many people in my life or the lives of those close to me are going through difficulties. Many face a change in circumstances which will change everything for the rest of their lives. Some face the possibility of death.
It is easy to ask “why,” to let ourselves be dragged down to the point where we forget to look to Jesus for help. God never promised us a life that is free of pain and trouble. In fact, He promised quite the opposite, but He did promise the strength to see us through it.
The apostles suffered for their faith. Yet Paul said that the suffering we experience in this world should be considered nothing compared to the glory which will belong to those who persevere. The hope we have for our time in this world is the help and comfort of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us to get through. Our real hope lays in the future, when we reach heaven, and when Jesus returns.
If life is too much for you, take it to the foot of God’s throne, seek Him in prayer for the moment by moment ability to see you through. Don’t be surprised that you suffer, or fight the pain that God allows in this life; embrace it as an opportunity to grow closer to Him. It is the reason He is called the “God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.”
A plaque once hung in my daughter’s room which depicted a little girl looking into the water, but the reflection looking back was the face of Jesus. He wants us to be like Him. Being molded into shape is often a painful process, but the product, our hope of glory, is worth it.
He never promised trouble-free living, but the enabling to persevere. Let Him give you His peace in the midst of your trial so that the world will see Him reflected in you.
Copyright by Norma Gail Thurston-Holtman & 2MefromHim Ministries, 2011. All rights reserved.
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