Overcoming

Sometimes as Christians, we get the idea that everything our world should be well-ordered and smooth, and when circumstances arise that create turmoil, this somehow surprises us. It shouldn’t. The Bible states repeatedly that this world is not our home and the people around us are humanly flawed.

When Jesus was preparing His disciples for the time He would be taken from them, He spoke clearly of the dangers of seeking comfort and peace from things of this world. This preparation is for the purpose of creating a longing within us for heaven as much as it is a warning against putting our trust in things that are temporal.

“These things I have spoken to you that you should not be made to stumble.” John 16:1

“Most assuredly I say to you that you will weep and lament . . . you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.” John 16:20

“Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice and your joy no one will take from you.” John 16:22

Mark it down: people will disappoint you. People you thought you could trust will let you down. Circumstances will shift. Places you once felt at home will become strange and uncomfortable. Why? Because those people, circumstances, and places are not our source of peace.

Currently there is a situation that is grieving my heart. My spirit has groaned, my heart aches, and I’ve shed more than a few tears. I suppose that in my humanness, I want everything within my comfort zone to remain the same, and when things occur that cause upheaval, I am somehow taken by surprise. But God is never taken by surprise. He isn’t standing up there in heaven wringing His hands and agonizing over what to do. He knows the end from the beginning, which is why He gave us these scriptures. He knows about the hurtful things people will speak and the uncaring attitudes they will display. He knows about the rejection and feelings of betrayal. So He reminds us: your sorrow will be turned into joy.

Do not fool yourself into thinking people or places on this earth make up your comfort zone. Sharpen your awareness of the presence of God in you and your earthly attachments dim. Our joy and peace are in Jesus, and remembering that He is closer than our own breath washes that peace over us again.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Thanks for letting me share my heart.