Here Comes Trouble!!!

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Jesus said these words to His disciples as He spoke to them preparing them for His death and the aftermath. Not long after, Jesus was betrayed by Judas and was dragged off to be tried and crucified. But it was all in the Father’s plan. The disciples did not understand this when their beloved Master was captured, scourged and crucified like a criminal.  Life as they knew it seemed to have ended, their spirits were crushed, and they were deeply discouraged. But, unknown to them Resurrection Day was coming. However, they had to watch their Messiah be humiliated and experience an excruciating execution for Him to overcome death and give us all eternal life. Trouble must come, but we need to realize that it gives us the opportunity to triumph in Jesus.

For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us.  2 Corinthians 1:8-10

I love how the Apostle Paul was very frank about all he went through. He wasn’t hiding his problems as so many of us do out of pride. We don’t want people to know of our struggles, so we create a façade. However, the Lord does not work in pretenses. Instead, He wants us sanctified by the truth. Paul spoke of his despair knowing that other believers would also despair. Yet when he and his team had the sentence of death within themselves, they knew they could not trust in themselves, but rather in the God who raises the dead and would be their Deliverer and Hope. What a great testimony that came out of a terrible test. God will prevail in our problems. We just have to stop doing things in our own strength and trying to make our lives look pretty when it is not. We need to be real and let Jesus reveal Himself to us in our desperate situations.

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:6-7

If Jesus who we follow suffered, then we will suffer too. It is inevitable. However, we have to make the choice if we will keep our faith and trust God to take us through, or we will grumble and complain while trying to find solace in other minor gods, whether it be people, food, social media, work or a shopping spree. We have a God in Jesus who suffered and went through temptations and trials as we do. But can He trust us with trouble? Will we still love Him when the problems pile up and we feel like we are being battered from every direction by the storms of life? When we are humiliated by people, will they see Jesus being glorified in us?

Am I willing to be thought a coward for my Lord’s sake? The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount isn’t “Do your duty.” It’s “Do what isn’t your duty.” It isn’t my duty to go the second mile or to turn the other cheek. Yet Jesus says that if I am his disciple, I will always do these things. When I am insulted, not only must I not resent it, but I must use it as an opportunity for exhibiting the disposition of the Son of God. I cannot imitate the disposition of Jesus; either it’s inside me or it isn’t. If it is, every personal insult will become an occasion for revealing his incredible sweetness.

Oswald Chambers wrote the above, in Utmost for His Highest. It is so difficult to be insulted and not fight back. But when this happens, can those around us see the life of Jesus exhibited through our actions? Is our crushing bringing out the sweetness of Christ? This life is not about us being comfortable, but about us glorifying God. Instead of being concerned about our reputation so much we should think of how we are representing Christ, no matter how we look to others. Our radical obedience to the Lord may bring us problems and insults, but it is all for His sake. Yes, it is true that many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the good news is that God will deliver us from them all. Although it may not happen when we would like or how we would like. But we can trust that God is with us. And when trouble comes, we can be triumphant in Him. Let us not forget what Jesus said.

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27