October 20 | Overcoming the Troubles of Life
John 16:33, “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.”
What kind of troubles are you facing in life today? Money troubles, family troubles or health troubles? If you don’t have any troubles right now- trust me they are coming! If you just overcame some troubles in the past take a deep breath and get some rest because new ones are getting ready to come your way. How do I know? Because Jesus promised in today’s passage, “in this world you will have trouble!”
Just as truly as you can always count on having “trouble” in this life- you can count on having Jesus’ peace because He has overcome the world.
Not every hard time is the same and some people’s hard times can seem harder than others, but it doesn't matter because each person’s troubles are enough to trouble them! It’s like puppy love, it may not be full fledged love compared to a couple that has been married for 50 years, but puppy love is all the love a lil’ puppy knows. Your troubles may not compare to other people’s troubles on the outside, but it doesn’t matter because your troubles are all the troubles you may be able to handle on the inside. In the midst of life’s troubles, let us never forget Jesus’ promise of peace. Also, David said in Psalm 34:19, “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.” So even though the righteous person may have many troubles, God promised to deliver him from them all!
I believe that our deliverance is sometimes in this world and other times it is in the world to come. No matter when our deliverance comes, we can always count on having peace in every trouble we face. Someone might say, “I don’t understand how God could ever give me peace during this trouble- it’s too troubling.” However, God’s peace is so great it even surpasses are own understanding. In other words, you don’t have to understand how your troubles will work together for your good in God’s plan to receive His peace; you just need to trust Him during the troubles. Paul said in Philippians 4:6-7, “6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Therefore, you have two options; (1) You can go through life without God on your side and be defeated by your troubles and then spend eternity in hell; or (2) You can have Jesus on your side in life and be delivered from all your troubles and then spend eternity in His presence. What option do you choose? I choose option two!
No matter what, we are going to face troubles in life, but with God we are promised peace and joy in the midst of them. Plus, Jesus said He would never leave us nor forsake us in Hebrews 13:5. Let the words that Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 increase your faith in God during troubling times; “16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Are life’s troubles taking away your peace? Then pray this out loud, “Father, please forgive me for complaining and not trusting you in the midst of all my troubles. I ask that you would give me peace by the Holy Spirit and I believe one day I will overcome them all. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Reflection
Do you struggle with trusting God during life’s troubles?
Action
- Repent if you’re feeling despair because of the troubles you are facing in life.
- Read and prayerfully meditate on Psalm 91.
- Let the troubles of this life draw you closer to God. E.M. Bounds wrote, “Trouble and prayer are closely related. Trouble often drives men to God in prayer, while prayer is but the voice of men in trouble.”