Peace of Preparation

"'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

I didn't know what to expect.  I had never been through a military burial ceremony so I was walking into the unknown.  Thankfully, the personnel in charge told us exactly what was to happen during the short service, setting our minds at ease and helping us to prepare for what was to come.  Burying a loved one is never easy, but it's made so much more difficult when everything seems foreign and unfamiliar.

Knowing what to expect makes a tough time a bit easier to process.  As a follower of Christ, I have been similarly warned of what is to come in this life.  Jesus gave me a heads up so that I would be able to rest in His peace as things unfold just as He predicted.  Paying attention to His instructions gives me the freedom to trust in Him when the going gets hard.  He wants me to live life with my eyes wide open, with the full knowledge of what I can expect so that nothing I face will be a surprise.  Instead, the hardships will grow my faith as He and His words are shown to be trustworthy and faithful.

If I can trust Him with my unknown future, then I can certainly trust Him with the reality of the present.

Trouble is Guaranteed

I once heard someone say that I shouldn't be surprised when someone dies, but instead be amazed that I've been given another day to live.  Each breath I take is a gift from God, an extension of His mercy and grace.  Without His go-ahead or permission, neither good nor bad will enter my life.  

As a human created by a Sovereign God, I must always keep in mind that my life is literally in His hands.  I need also to remember that I am living in a fallen, sinful world filled with darkness and suffering.  This world is at odds with the Holy God in whom I claim allegiance through faith in Jesus Christ.  Because of the stance I take, aligning myself with Christ, I can expect the same kind of treatment He received while here on earth.  (John 15:18-21)  

It would be foolish for me to anticipate a comfortable life where everyone likes me and agrees with what I say.  I would be expecting different from what He warned of me if I thought I'd be well-received by those who don't belong to Jesus.  Going forward with my eyes wide-open means I'll rejoice when I run into opposition because I'll see it as a fulfillment of His warning.  It also means I'll not just accept hard times, but I'll actually be prepared for difficulties as a part of living a life submitted to God.

Instead of fighting against the tribulations, then, I will embrace them as a part of the package of walking with Christ.  When I'm mistreated for the sake of Christ, I'll take it as a sign that I'm on the right path.  If everything is easy and people of the world tend to fall in line behind me, I may have to question to where my allegiance lies.

Living a life for Jesus means that trouble is guaranteed.

Don't Lose Heart

The rate of suicide tends to increase with economic downturns.  As people see their hopes and dreams slip away along with their lost investments and decreased job stability, many give up on life.  Putting my faith in anything other than God puts me at risk for this kind of mentality.

If I trust in my own wherewithal or abilities to get me through life, thinking that I'll be able to make my own dreams come true, I'll be in for a rude awakening when things don't go as planned.  As I try to come to terms with disappointments and frustrations in my life, I won't be able to cope if I think my well-being rests in my own hands.  

If, instead, I know that God is the master planner and that I can expect hard times both as a tool to grow my faith as well as a consequence of being at odds with the world, then I'll have the assurance that everything will be okay because the One who is in control is good. 

Trusting God means taking the good with the bad and realizing it is all a part of what He's doing in my life.  As a good God, (James 1:17) He will use it all for my good as I submit myself to His will.  (Romans 8:28)  When trouble comes, my faith will propel me through it and give me the strength to wait on His good purposes instead of thinking it is the end of the world.

Living a life for Jesus means that I won't give up when times get hard.

Jesus Wins

I remember watching a rerun of a football game where I already knew the outcome.  When my team, who would eventually win, fumbled the ball, I didn't despair because I realized the final score and rested in the knowledge that my team would be victorious.

In the same way, as a follower of Jesus, I already know that my team wins.  Satan, the Father of lies whose main mission is to deceive and confuse, will be thrown into the lake of fire for eternal torment.  (Revelation 20:10)  Knowing ahead of time that evil will not prevail is enough to give me confidence to live as more than a conqueror.  (Romans 8:37)  When I see the darkness around me, I can let this knowledge spur me on.  

It's easy to let the suffering discourage me.  It sometimes seems like evil is prevailing.  When these thoughts come into my head, I must remind myself what John said about discerning between the messages put out in the name of God and of the Devil.  He said the Spirit who is in me is greater than the one who is in the world.  As a vessel of the Spirit of God, I can not only recognize when a messenger is not from Him, but I can also prevail over the evil in this world.

As King David said in Psalm 37, "The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever.  In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.  But the wicked will perish; The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish--vanish like smoke." (Psalm 37:18-20)

Satan my have free reign for now, but his power will not last forever.  Additionally, he only is able to do as the LORD allows.  Soon, his rule over this world will end and his punishment will begin.  In the meantime, I can trust that Jesus will not lose any of those who belong to Him.  (John 6:39)  I can live in confidence in this dark world that Jesus has overcome.

Living a life for Jesus means I can walk in the assurance of His defeat of evil.

Knowing what to expect makes going through the unknown a little easier.  Since Jesus gave me a heads up as to what to expect in this life, I can trust Him when I see things getting hard.  Then I won't be surprised when hard times come my way, I'll be inspired to continue on, and I'll rest in the knowledge that my Savior and Lord is a conqueror.  The result will be the peace that comes with His preparation.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep my eyes on my conqueror instead of on the work of the Evil One.

How do I lose heart in the face of suffering?

When do I forget that I'm on the winning team?