Take Heart
“In this life you will have trouble.” In John 16:33, Jesus promised this. You and I know it to be true. There isn’t a single one of us who has made it this far without experiencing trials. We’ve all faced struggles. Each and every one of us have had our share of hard times because pain is a side effect of living in a broken and fallen world.
Fortunately for us, though, trouble isn’t all that Jesus promised us in John 16:33. Jesus encouraged us to take heart because we live trusting in the promise that he is already victorious. John 16:33 NIV “…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Jesus knew this life would be challenging, but he knew that with him, because of his victory, and through his power we could patiently and confidently live trust in the hope he offers us.
Listen to this passage of scripture from Romans 8:18-28
“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
I know that’s a long passage of scripture, but I want you to know God is in control. He is actively redeeming this broken world. He is working all things together for good for his children. Even though we live in this in between time where we groan in pain, this isn’t the end of the story. We have hope because of our victorious King Jesus.
I know it’s hard, but he’s with you. His promises do not fail. This pain pales in comparison to the good he is working. Let’s hold firmly to the one who will overcome. Let’s patiently and confidently trust in his promises, his timing, and his power.
Verse to Meditate On:
John 16:33 NIV
“…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Prayer:
Father God, We trust you. You are at work. We believe you are redeeming. Help us to patiently and confidently trust in you. Amen.
Practice:
Father God, We trust you. You are at work. We believe you are redeeming. Help us to patiently and confidently trust in you. Amen.