John 16
29. His disciples said, "Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech.
30. "Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God."
31. Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe?
32. "Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
33. "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
We know we belong to Jesus, but when trouble hits, peace often slips away. Why does this keep happening?
1. Our focus may be on circumstances. To have God’s peace, we need to focus on Him. We need to remember that all things are under His control; He has helped us in the past and will do so in this circumstance too. His Holy Spirit will comfort us and guide us through it. With eyes looking to Him, we will begin to experience His peace.
2. Our trust has probably been in ourselves as well as in God. We are to trust solely in our heavenly Father. It is necessary that we stop depending on our own efforts. Jesus said, “Trust in God; trust also in me . .” (John 14:1 niv). Trusting in Jesus brings God’s peace into our situation.
3. We seek advice from other sources. Scripture is to be our primary source for wisdom on how to live. Advice from other sources has its place, but God’s Word must be our main source. Turning to Scripture will anchor us during trials and give us peace. Satan seeks to keep us troubled and uncertain, fearful and insecure. But if we read and absorb the truths of the Bible, our faith will grow and our trust will deepen.
When you find yourself without peace, check your focus to see if it’s on God. Determine if you’ve been trusting in your own efforts. Discover what God’s Word has to say. Peace will be ours when we narrow our focus and saturate our minds with truth and trust. |