Take Heart!

“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

This verse has been on my heart today. I feel God speaking this word to me today and encouraging me to share it with you. I don't know all of the difficulties that everyone is facing, but I do know that we all deal with the struggles of the world. Sometimes they seem so overwhelming that we can't gain any victory over the situation. But the glorious truth that we all need to hear is this: Jesus has overcome the world.
    It is guaranteed that in this world, we will have trouble. It comes in the form of persecution, financial struggles, marital issues, employment problems and more. Some of the seasons of life involve troubles. The real question is: How will we deal with the trouble? Human nature often leads us to feel rejected or abandoned by God. But he promises that he will never leave us nor forsake us. So when we feel abandoned, we need to counter with faith that says, "I know my God is with me." Trouble comes because we live in the world. It is a byproduct of the sin and corruption that exists here. Even though we are covered by God's hand, we are not immune to the affects. We may have troubles, but God is with us. He is attentive to us and he promises to deliver us.
    Take heart! This is the necessary response to the issue of troubles. To take heart, means to have courage. We know that it is not possible for us to work up courage within ourselves. It only comes from God. As we lean on him in our troubles instead of trying to shoulder them ourselves, we will find the courage we need. There is a peace that comes from God that will permeate our souls and overcome our distress. God is watching to see how we will deal with troubles. If we run to him and depend on his strength, we will overcome depression, sadness and anger as we go through the trouble. I know that these are easy words to write, but much more difficult to live. The promise of God, utter3ed through Jesus is the knowledge that he has overcome the world. This is our victory.
    Today, let's take comfort in knowing that Jesus has overcome the world. The troubles that we face are no different than the ones he faced when he lived here. He has gone before us, he has carried our burdens, he has brought peace, and he will deliver us. This is the hope we have in God. We must go through trouble, but he has never asked us to do it on our own. He is with us. So take heart! Believe the promise of God and lean on him when you cannot stand on your own. He is strong, loving, and fully able to bring you through the troubles of this world.