December 10, 2007
"In this world you will have trouble." John 16:33
Trouble is a word that to each one of us takes on a different meaning and connotation. It is not normally a word we welcome or want in our vocabulary, However, life can't be lived without experiencing this event.
As one author said,
"Trouble" speaks of the agitating of the waters of circumstance, when life becomes challenging, difficult, and sometimes hopeless.
"Trouble" is to living what storms, hurricanes, and floods are to environment. It is when the ordinary is disrupted, and unexpected hardship intrudes into the normal."
Troubles come in all
kinds of packages; car troubles, money, friends, family, church and health, to
some of us these seem so over whelming.
All of us have small troubles and big troubles but each of these are a matter of perspective. Sometimes we get so focused on situations and circumstances we lose sight of how our troubles are not really troubles compared to those who have aggressive cancers, physical deformities, and other diseases.
We all have felt or will feel the shaking of our world. Sometimes there's enough shaking going on that it feels like we're in the midst of one of those glass snow globes.
Let’s face it, life can be hard at times. We shouldn’t be surprised by that idea. Jesus told us it would be. In John 16:33, Jesus says “ In this world you will have trouble.” That’s pretty definitive. There is no maybe, might or possibly. Knowing we will have trouble the next question is, What will we do and Where will we go when we have trouble?
The reality of life is that we all live in a fallen world and everyone, whether they believe in Jesus or not is going to have seasons of trouble. We all face death. We will all be rejected by someone at sometime, be unjustly accused, be treated unfairly and be hurt. We’ll suffer illness and pain.
Our lives are going to be shaken at times. There’s no promise of smooth sailing. There’s no promise that says become a Christian and you’ll never have another problem or experience another loss.
In this world we're having trouble. Every imaginable trouble and then new ones to add to the mess. So much for the bad news. What's the good news?
Now let's look at the entire verse from John. It says
"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 NIV
Jesus has overcome the world. We're told to take heart in the midst of the promised trouble.
He brings us peace in the midst of turmoil.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 NIV
We're to rejoice in the Lord always. Even in the midst of turmoil and shaking. Satan can do his worst to shake us up. It doesn't matter in the end because we have overcome the world.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 NIV
There is nothing I can do to stop trouble from coming but what I can do is decide:
How I will stand in the midst of trouble?
Can I see the good in the trouble?
Can I help someone else while I'm in trouble?
Can I know the shaking is somehow for my own good?
Will I allow God to shape me, mold me,
form me and prune me through my troubles?
And so now listen to Jesus again;
"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 NIV
Darrel Mason