Not So Smooth Sailing

Sometimes in trying to win people for Christ, historically, we have made promises to people that God's word had never made. Furthermore, sometimes we have been told that we can give enough or have faith enough to avoid tribulations. While there are instances where giving can turn things around, often we are left disappointed when we still have to walk through trying times. Sadly, sometimes we are made to believe that when we go through situations it is due to our lack of faith or because of sin in our lives. We can sometimes have buyer's remorse because we were led to believe the Christian life would be smooth sailing.

Jesus never promised that following Him would remove every obstacle in this world, in fact, sometimes following Him creates new problems. Look at the lives of the disciples of Jesus, all of them were killed for their beliefs. Paul lists all the stonings, beatings, and shipwrecks he endured of the gospel. We can lose friends, family members, spouses, children, jobs, and our lives as we choose to live life according to biblical standards. Not to mention the daily dying to ourselves that must take place.

So what promise did Jesus make about all these rough seas that we must go through? In John 16:33, Jesus says, "These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." This promise is that you can still have peace in the midst of your tribulation and in spite of the messiness of this world. The reason is not that we are so good, or have "enough faith", or because we gave a tribulation-blocking seed of $1000. The reason is because the one we are riding with now in the world has already overcome the world.

I pray that we can get through the mess in our lives with Jesus in our lives.

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