“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NKJV).
John 16:33 is one of the many guarantees about life that Christ gives His followers. At first glance, and taken as a whole, the knee-jerk response might be, "Well, great. I am promised tribulation (trouble). I can get quite enough of that without having to go through all the 'bother' of being a Christian, thank you very much." And that's sure enough true. Trouble, in all its various shapes and sizes comes with life itself. The only sure-fire avoidance mechanism is death, or never having lived, and in reality the first alternative is already too late to be 100% effective, and the second won't matter. If you're alive you will experience problems, sometimes annoying, sometimes horrific. Even if you live the most trouble-free life imaginable, it will end, sooner or later, and for a sane person, that in itself is, well, troubling. I suspect that even a euphorically insane person on some level knows this, but even if that's not the case, insanity as a package deal comes with its own imperfections as a life-strategy.
This promise from Christ is nonetheless priceless. It tells us at least 5 invaluable things that we would have no means to really know otherwise:
1) He cares enough about our tribulation to have provided a solution - Himself;
2) The antidote for trouble is His peace;
3) Life in the world is no picnic, at least not all the time (and for most of the world hardly any of the time);
4) The root cause of trouble is inherent in the nature of Fallen earthly life itself;
5) He has waged war against, and victoriously overcome, this world of trouble.
Volumes of theology could be written about each one of these things, but the aspects of the promise that provide me with the most comfort, encouragement and hope can be boiled down to one sentence: I am to expect trouble (and not be surprised or feel condemned when it comes) but I am never to be deceived into thinking that trouble is all there is in life; no matter what form that tribulation takes. My hope is not, after all, in this world. That is a good thing because this world is not even remotely a trustworthy repository of hope. Despair and futility? Yes. Hope? No.
For a believer, the question then arises, "How do I acquire His peace?" (Sadly, this peace of God is not available to an unbeliever. Temporary facsimiles thereof might be, through drugs or alcohol, or frenetic activity, or therapy, or gritted-teeth denial, but not that bigger-than-the-Universe peace that can only come through child-like faith in Christ. Sorry, but I didn't write the rules.) In fact, for a believer, acquisition of that peace is not only possible, but commanded. God orders us to enter into His peace (Heb 4:11).
The Bible abounds with practical instruction on how to live a Christian life of peace. Note the cause and effect pattern revealed in the verses below.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5, 6, NKJV).
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6, 7, NKJV).
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8, 9, NKJV).
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:12-17, NKJV).
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6, 7, NKJV).
The equations I see in the above passages are these:
Trusting in God rather than yourself enables His peace.
Bring EVERY anxiety to Him, in faith, and He will give you peace.
Set your mind on His goodness, and both He and His peace will be with you.
Immerse yourself in His Word, thereby becoming more and more like Him, and His peace will rule in your heart.
Be thankful for who He is and what He has done and is doing, and you will have peace.
Be humbly dependent on Him, rather than yourself or the world and you will have peace.
In John 14:27, Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27, NKJV).
The all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere-present, living Lord of the Universe is in control. You are not. He loves you with an everlasting love. As Paul says, if you have learned and received and heard and saw these things, then live them. And you will have peace.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13, NKJV).
John 16:33 is one of the many guarantees about life that Christ gives His followers. At first glance, and taken as a whole, the knee-jerk response might be, "Well, great. I am promised tribulation (trouble). I can get quite enough of that without having to go through all the 'bother' of being a Christian, thank you very much." And that's sure enough true. Trouble, in all its various shapes and sizes comes with life itself. The only sure-fire avoidance mechanism is death, or never having lived, and in reality the first alternative is already too late to be 100% effective, and the second won't matter. If you're alive you will experience problems, sometimes annoying, sometimes horrific. Even if you live the most trouble-free life imaginable, it will end, sooner or later, and for a sane person, that in itself is, well, troubling. I suspect that even a euphorically insane person on some level knows this, but even if that's not the case, insanity as a package deal comes with its own imperfections as a life-strategy.
This promise from Christ is nonetheless priceless. It tells us at least 5 invaluable things that we would have no means to really know otherwise:
1) He cares enough about our tribulation to have provided a solution - Himself;
2) The antidote for trouble is His peace;
3) Life in the world is no picnic, at least not all the time (and for most of the world hardly any of the time);
4) The root cause of trouble is inherent in the nature of Fallen earthly life itself;
5) He has waged war against, and victoriously overcome, this world of trouble.
Volumes of theology could be written about each one of these things, but the aspects of the promise that provide me with the most comfort, encouragement and hope can be boiled down to one sentence: I am to expect trouble (and not be surprised or feel condemned when it comes) but I am never to be deceived into thinking that trouble is all there is in life; no matter what form that tribulation takes. My hope is not, after all, in this world. That is a good thing because this world is not even remotely a trustworthy repository of hope. Despair and futility? Yes. Hope? No.
For a believer, the question then arises, "How do I acquire His peace?" (Sadly, this peace of God is not available to an unbeliever. Temporary facsimiles thereof might be, through drugs or alcohol, or frenetic activity, or therapy, or gritted-teeth denial, but not that bigger-than-the-Universe peace that can only come through child-like faith in Christ. Sorry, but I didn't write the rules.) In fact, for a believer, acquisition of that peace is not only possible, but commanded. God orders us to enter into His peace (Heb 4:11).
The Bible abounds with practical instruction on how to live a Christian life of peace. Note the cause and effect pattern revealed in the verses below.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5, 6, NKJV).
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6, 7, NKJV).
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8, 9, NKJV).
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:12-17, NKJV).
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6, 7, NKJV).
The equations I see in the above passages are these:
Trusting in God rather than yourself enables His peace.
Bring EVERY anxiety to Him, in faith, and He will give you peace.
Set your mind on His goodness, and both He and His peace will be with you.
Immerse yourself in His Word, thereby becoming more and more like Him, and His peace will rule in your heart.
Be thankful for who He is and what He has done and is doing, and you will have peace.
Be humbly dependent on Him, rather than yourself or the world and you will have peace.
In John 14:27, Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27, NKJV).
The all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere-present, living Lord of the Universe is in control. You are not. He loves you with an everlasting love. As Paul says, if you have learned and received and heard and saw these things, then live them. And you will have peace.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13, NKJV).
