Scripture
33 “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.”
Reflection
In this passage, Jesus is encouraging His disciples to trust God’s sovereignty. In this verse (and in the preceding verse 16:32), Jesus tells His disciples that they will experience hardships: they will be scattered, they will abandon Jesus, and they will ‘have trouble in this world.’ But Jesus is not encouraging them by saying He will somehow prevent hard things from happening in their lives, but rather He is saying that even in those hardships, there is peace in knowledge that Jesus has overcome the world!
The mature believer knows that following Christ does not mean life will be easy. To the contrary, we live in a broken and fallen world, and we will experience many awful things: rejection, disappointment, disease, poverty, and even the deaths of loved ones.
But Jesus tells us: take heart! Our hope is not in our circumstances. Our faith is not in the things of this world – our jobs, finances, social circles, or even family members. We trust Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, above all. And in that trust, we can – somehow – find a “peace that surpasses all understanding” during the darkest times of our lives.
Thoughts for the day
- What does this passage tell you about God or Jesus?
- What does this passage tell you about humanity?
- What do you feel God is telling you through this passage?
- How can you apply this message in an area of your life that needs transformation?
- Is there anyone you think should hear or will benefit from this message? Go and tell them.
Prayer
Pray for revelation: ask God to show you something of His character, presence or beauty where you are now.
