In speaking to the disciples, Jesus said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows” (John 16:33). If you’ve transferred your trust from self to Jesus, you have likely found this to be true in your own life, or you will.
When the foundations to which you cling are ripped out from you, you are changed. You wake up with a wound you can’t forget, and walk through the world in a new way. You learn nothing in this world is guaranteed, nor is it enough. You learn not to cling. You learn that anything can be an idol—people, pets, health, wealth, a tree, a job, a home, anything. You learn firsthand that you have entered into the suffering of Jesus, where you meet Jesus in a deeper, closer way. You find that, though you wouldn’t have chosen the trials and sorrows, you wouldn’t exchange Jesus for the whole world either. In all, you have counted the cost; you have followed Jesus; you have actually been rescued.
Jubilation is in order! The eternal perspective is your new lens. You see that the overriding joy of your life is that God points you homeward in everything you do. You see your mission is to be a light to others, pointing them the way home too. You see He gifts you with a spiritual family even deeper than kin blood and with a mission clearer than mountain water. You see the good that God is doing in and through you. You see your life, though more fraught with challenges than you’d imagined in your early walk, is also more full of wonder and appreciation. You continuously look ahead to the city which is to come. And whenever you grow weary, which you still do sometimes, you remember the rest of what Jesus said: “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.” And this puts a smile on your face.
I hope this encourages you today.
Kevin Murray
© 2023 All rights reserved
For more encouragement, enjoy these verses:
In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11).
The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! (Psalm 22:26)
For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things (Psalm 107:9).
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Mt 5:16).
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Mt 6:19–21).
If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Mt 16:24).
Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation (Mk 16:15).
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? (Lk 14:28).
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (Jn 6:35).
In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also (Jn 14:2-3).
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Rom 5:3-5).
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Rom 8:18)
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28).
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 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 (2 Cor 4:17-18).
I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty (2 Cor 6:18).
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:1-3).
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim 3:12).
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe (Heb 12:28).
For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come (Heb 13:14).
You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that” (Jm 4:13-15).
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast (1 Pet 5:10).
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away (Rev 21:4).