Don't Lose Heart
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:27
I have a confession to make. I am a worrier. I worry about everything, and often, I allow the worrying of the things of the world to rob me of so many joyful things and experiences that God has for me. Certainly, there are things that should concern us and that do require our attention. Still, how often do we allow those concerns to metastasize into full-blown worry that affects our thoughts, emotions, relationships, productivity, you name it.
I was struck by this on Sunday listening to Andy share the joyful hope of an eternal resurrection. I was deeply convicted of how easily my eternal joy can be eclipsed by temporary doubt, discouragement, and sorrow. My conviction was this: If my eternal joy can so easily fade by the temporary circumstances of this fallen world, I am focusing on the wrong things. I am not clinging to the certain promise Jesus gives us in John 14 when He says He GIVES us PEACE! It is a peace that is greater than the temporary woes of this world. It is an eternal peace that the world cannot even come close to offering.
Troubles are a reality because we are in a broken world. But the hope we have as followers of Jesus is that we are guaranteed fullness of Joy. Jesus tells us in John 16 that He turns sorrow into joy. We just need to be better at embracing the joy and not giving in to the temptation of sorrow.
The Apostle Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 4. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Don’t lose heart, embrace peace, and be confident in Jesus!
John 14:27
I have a confession to make. I am a worrier. I worry about everything, and often, I allow the worrying of the things of the world to rob me of so many joyful things and experiences that God has for me. Certainly, there are things that should concern us and that do require our attention. Still, how often do we allow those concerns to metastasize into full-blown worry that affects our thoughts, emotions, relationships, productivity, you name it.
I was struck by this on Sunday listening to Andy share the joyful hope of an eternal resurrection. I was deeply convicted of how easily my eternal joy can be eclipsed by temporary doubt, discouragement, and sorrow. My conviction was this: If my eternal joy can so easily fade by the temporary circumstances of this fallen world, I am focusing on the wrong things. I am not clinging to the certain promise Jesus gives us in John 14 when He says He GIVES us PEACE! It is a peace that is greater than the temporary woes of this world. It is an eternal peace that the world cannot even come close to offering.
Troubles are a reality because we are in a broken world. But the hope we have as followers of Jesus is that we are guaranteed fullness of Joy. Jesus tells us in John 16 that He turns sorrow into joy. We just need to be better at embracing the joy and not giving in to the temptation of sorrow.
The Apostle Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 4. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Don’t lose heart, embrace peace, and be confident in Jesus!
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