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." ~John 16:33
Bombs. Explosions. War. Fighting. Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Fires. Tragedy.
Our world is filled with tragedy. Our world is filled with hurt and pain. Suffering surrounds us and we don't always understand how and why God allows such suffering to take place. In light of all the tragic events that have been taking place in our world this week, in can be challenging to trust that God is still in control and is guiding us through such disaster and tragedy...
According to the dictionary definition, a tragedy is, "a lamentable, dreadful, or fatal event or affair; calamity; disaster: the tragedy of war." Lamentable. Dreadful. Fatal. Calamity. Disaster. Each word rings out with connotations of fear and sadness we experience when such tragedies strike; the fear and sadness that comes with living a sinful, sin-filled world. God never said life in this world would be easy. Christ promised to bring us peace, but never said life would be a breeze if we chose to follow Him. As He clearly reminds us in John 16:33, there is no denying the fact that troubles and hardship will strike us in this world. We can, however, trust that He will be with us through it all. God will be with us to guide us through life's challenges, help us up when we fall, and help us run the race He has marked out for us. Life will challenge us, but Christ promises to be with us through it all and through the hope that comes through Christ's death and resurrection, we know that one day we will leave all suffering behind and join Him in paradise forever.
As I was reflecting on the recent tragedies in our world this week, the above Bible passage popped into my head. I may not be experiencing any personal tragedies at the moment, but I am going through lots of big life changes. College graduation is an exciting time and pursuing exciting job opportunities is most definitely invigorating. It is also a very confusing and overwhelming time, trying to sort everything out, discern God's plan, and trust that He is leading me and using me for His will...As I step out in faith, I trust that God is leading and guiding me and He will be right beside me every step of the way. A song by Tenth Avenue North has been playing in my head a lot lately. It reminds me that even when we are tired and weary, God is there to lift us up. He gives us the strength we need to persevere through life with sin. I couldn't imagine life without my Heavenly Father. Just as my earthly dad was there to pick me up when I fell and skinned my knee or crashed when learning to ride my bike, my heavenly father is always there to listen, comfort, and pick me up when I fall.
Tenth Avenue North's song "Worn," just seems to put into words everything I've been thinking and feeling lately. Life pulls at you from many different directions, people expect a lot, and the world presents lots of expectations and pressures, but Christ understands what we are going through. God knows we can't do this alone. Take heart! Even a midst our most troublesome earthly struggles, Christ is with us and has overcome evil once and for all. God is with us through our joys and sufferings and Christ came so that we could have peace. We may not feel it in our hearts every moment of every day, but we have the hope through faith in Christ that one day we will be freed from this world of sin and suffering. One day we will experience the true peace of paradise in heaven. For now we pray and trust that God will grant us the peace that only He can provide, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:6-7
Bible verses to explore for comfort and encouragement: Isaiah 40:28-31, John 16:33, Romans 8:38-39, Matthew 11:28, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, 1 Peter 5:7
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