Difficult people in our lives can come in all forms. Sometimes in the form of friends, family, church members, co-workers, strangers, even ourselves. People in our lives that cause us frustration, anxiety, heart-ache. People that cause us trouble.
When Jesus was here on the earth, He knew that we would have struggles. Especially, when we choose to follow Him.
In the Bible, found in the Book of John, is a conversation He has with his close friends. This conversation is placed after the last supper, but before the Garden of Gethsemane.
"In this world you will have trouble" John 16:33. In this instance He does not say "if" of "maybe," He says you will have trouble. In the previous verses in Chapter 15 He talks to them about the world hating Him and Hating those who follow Him. Even to the point where his followers will be thrown out of their synagogue.
I couldn't image how discourage I would be. As His disciple, the feeling I would have, thinking that He's the one I chose to follow and what the cost of following Him would be. But, I believe that this conversation, these words, were meant for more then just the disciples. I believe there were also meant for us.
How much more discouraging, unsettling are these words now when I think about them in my life. If by choosing Him, the world might hate me, my church might throw me out, I will have trouble in my life. Is it worth it? Is He worth it?
Why? Why if Jesus wanted us to choose to follow Him would He tell us this things, these hard to swallow, discouraging things?
Because of Love.
Because of God's character of Love, Truth, & Life exhibited through His Son.
Jesus shares these words. Words-that as we think about the hard things in our life, the hard people me may have to deal with, can bring us peace. Peace not in ourselves, but peace in our God.
But, how can these words bring peace? How will they get us through the difficult times and deal with difficult people?
It's by knowing what Jesus says before this.
"I am the vine; you are the branches." John 15:5 That in Him, He will remain in us. That in Him, we can ask God for anything. That in Him, He loves us and the Father loves us. That in Him, our lives will produce fruit. That in Him, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit. That in Him, we have access to everything He has learned from the Father. That in Him, we are not servant, we are His friends. That in Him, we can have peace.
He is the answer. When we remain in Him; He will get us through the troubles of the world. Because we are worth the cost to Him.
Knowing these were the moments before He was about to struggle with the plan the Godhead had for Him. He was about to be arrest, beaten, rejected not only by the religious leaders of the time, but by his closest friends, that the plan of our salvation would cause His life. That for Him in all this trouble-there was Peace.
He loves us enough to not only tell us about His Love-but show us His Love. He wants us to know that when we go through trouble, because we will-that can we have peace. Because God is Love, and when we remain in Him, we have peace to know that HE has overcome.
~kartini r. maxson
When Jesus was here on the earth, He knew that we would have struggles. Especially, when we choose to follow Him.
In the Bible, found in the Book of John, is a conversation He has with his close friends. This conversation is placed after the last supper, but before the Garden of Gethsemane.
"In this world you will have trouble" John 16:33. In this instance He does not say "if" of "maybe," He says you will have trouble. In the previous verses in Chapter 15 He talks to them about the world hating Him and Hating those who follow Him. Even to the point where his followers will be thrown out of their synagogue.
I couldn't image how discourage I would be. As His disciple, the feeling I would have, thinking that He's the one I chose to follow and what the cost of following Him would be. But, I believe that this conversation, these words, were meant for more then just the disciples. I believe there were also meant for us.
How much more discouraging, unsettling are these words now when I think about them in my life. If by choosing Him, the world might hate me, my church might throw me out, I will have trouble in my life. Is it worth it? Is He worth it?
Why? Why if Jesus wanted us to choose to follow Him would He tell us this things, these hard to swallow, discouraging things?
Because of Love.
Because of God's character of Love, Truth, & Life exhibited through His Son.
Jesus shares these words. Words-that as we think about the hard things in our life, the hard people me may have to deal with, can bring us peace. Peace not in ourselves, but peace in our God.
But, how can these words bring peace? How will they get us through the difficult times and deal with difficult people?
It's by knowing what Jesus says before this.
"I am the vine; you are the branches." John 15:5 That in Him, He will remain in us. That in Him, we can ask God for anything. That in Him, He loves us and the Father loves us. That in Him, our lives will produce fruit. That in Him, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit. That in Him, we have access to everything He has learned from the Father. That in Him, we are not servant, we are His friends. That in Him, we can have peace.
He is the answer. When we remain in Him; He will get us through the troubles of the world. Because we are worth the cost to Him.
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you." John 15:9
"You did not choose me, but I chose you." John 15:16.
"Greater love has not one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends." John 15:12
Knowing these were the moments before He was about to struggle with the plan the Godhead had for Him. He was about to be arrest, beaten, rejected not only by the religious leaders of the time, but by his closest friends, that the plan of our salvation would cause His life. That for Him in all this trouble-there was Peace.
He loves us enough to not only tell us about His Love-but show us His Love. He wants us to know that when we go through trouble, because we will-that can we have peace. Because God is Love, and when we remain in Him, we have peace to know that HE has overcome.
"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" - Jesus
~kartini r. maxson
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