As I quizzed my 4 year old grandson the other day on the names of his friends who were at school that day I then made up a name, he laughed and responded, "Poppy she isn't even on this planet". I laughed at his funny reference to planets and learned later that they had been studying the planets in class. Later as I recalled my priceless conversation with Asher I thought about his innocence and how life will someday rudely introduce him to trouble, disappointment, unfulfilled expectations, hurt, wounded emotions and all the sordid ugliness that exists on this planet. Grant it at 4 he has already experienced trouble, disappointment, hurt and perhaps unfulfilled expectations when things don't quite go his way, but life has a way of hitting us harder the more aware we become to it's difficult dealings. This is the result of Adam and Eve partaking of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil!
Jesus told us in John 16:33.....in the world (or on this planet) you will have trouble, but take courage, I have overcome the world. In this one scripture Jesus gives us the worst news and the best news. The worst news is that as long as we are on this planet we will have trouble, adversity and opposition. Life here on this planet will constantly be in opposition to our joy, peace, purpose and destiny. Next Jesus gives us a choice....He says..."but take courage". What is the opposite of courage? FEAR!!!
Fear is the offspring of all trouble, adversity and opposition. Fear thrives in worry as adversity comes in to destroy.When adversity comes we have a choice to face it either with courage or fear. So, Jesus was saying, when trouble comes choose to embrace courage rather than fear.
Then Jesus gives us the reason why we can be courageous in the midst of trouble...."I have overcome the world"!! The source of our overcoming is connected to His overcoming while in the world, all the way to the cross.
We are reminded in Hebrews 12:1-2 to run with endurance the race that is set before us. In other words we are instructed and encouraged to live life with determination. In spite of the opposition that is on this planet we can rejoice in the fact that Jesus overcame the opposition of this planet and as long as we are IN Him we overcome as well. Scripture tells us that "We are IN the world but not OF the world"! What a wonderful truth...although we live on this planet we don't have to be defined by all the destructive and negative effects of this planet.
Because Jesus overcame adversity, opposition and trouble I want to leave 4 things we can put into practice when adversity comes our way....
1.See Beyond the Moment......God's purpose always lies beyond the moment.
2.Think Better than the Worse......Change your thinking and you can change your life.
3.Speak the Solution not the Problem......Your words are defining your future.
4.Respond Right to Wrong.......Courage responds with confidence, fear reacts with uncertainty.
Blessings,
Terry Baker
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