Take Heart

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.
John 16:33, NLT*

If we look around, there is plenty to discourage us. Although MacLean’s shares the encouragement that “humans have never been better off” (Scott Gilmore: Believe it or not, this is the best time to be alive), people still suffer. And many of us live in cultures that are increasingly open about their godlessness. It reminds me of Paul’s words to the Romans about how, when people turned away from God, He let them have what they wanted.

Closer to home, there may be financial pressures. Health, employment, relationship concerns. For me, it’s my church, which has been bleeding out for the past year.

Each one of us likely has at least one thing pressing heavily. Through it all, we need to keep ourselves rooted in Jesus, depending on Him.

That’s hard, though. Over time, the weight seems to increase and we may not see the Lord doing anything. We can believe the suffering more than the Saviour. (click to tweet that)

Life is truly “a long obedience in the same direction,” and the closer we are to Jesus, the better off we’ll be. For me, that means I need to spend more time in worship, remembering who God is and how much He loves me. Reminding myself what He’s done in the past, to reassure my faith that He’s still at work. Waiting for His timing.

Our God, so often we strain to see the end of the story when You’re still working in the middle of it. Help us trust You in the waiting. Help us worship. Remind us who You are, and give us the faith we need. Grow the fruit of the Holy Spirit within us, including patience and faithfulness. Enable us to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel.

When circumstances start weighing me down, Brian Doerksen‘s song, “You Shine,” is a good antidote.

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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