Jesus said, “In this life you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) He shared this truth in the middle of a discussion on the challenges that lie ahead for the disciples and all who would be faithful to the Gospel, for there were persecutions, oppositions and obstacles yet to come. Jesus wanted His followers to understand that no matter what challenges they experienced, He was with them and He would empower them to overcome all they would face.
I find this promise especially meaningful, even as I navigate my day to day activities. While I know that Jesus’ focus was persecution due to faithfulness to the Gospel, I do not think it is a big stretch to apply this verse to the other challenges of my life. Jesus’ victory was not just over persecution, but over everything. The Bible tells us that, “at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow.” Certainly it is not hard to understand that He is with me in all of the challenges I face and that He is guiding me and empowering me to emerge victorious from whatever struggle I am in, and the promise applies to all of us who have Christ as our Lord and Savior.
A few years ago, our region went through a very challenging time, and many of our neighbors struggled with the effects of that severe October snowstorm. The cleanup and recovery was with us for a while as the challenges associated with this storm continued. Like all storms in life, the impact extended far beyond the initial damage, but so did the opportunity to encounter God and to experience the overcoming power of the cross.
I learned more than I expected in the days following the initial power outage. With the television, internet and other technologies I’ve become dependent on silenced, God received significantly more of my attention. He was very present throughout our week and met all of our needs as they arose. From the simple, yet meaningful gifts of hot soup and rolls to the offer of a generator to help us drain the water from our basement when it seemed we could bail no more, we felt the provision of God in very tangible ways.
We receive the wonderful opportunity to experience the care of our loving God in the midst of our challenges, and we also gain the blessing of being the extensions of that care to others. The Bible reminds us that we are able to comfort others with the comfort we ourselves received from God. What a tremendous blessing to be comforted and cared for by our Savior and then to share that same gift with others on His behalf.
Just as people enduring the loss of power needed to hear about the places where it was being restored, and needed to see the presence of NYSEG and National Grid trucks in their neighborhood, the people around us need to hear the testimony of God’s love and grace and they need to see the demonstration of His love and power. As Christians, we should be looking for opportunities to bear witness to the provision of God in our lives. We also need to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit to know how we can use our gifts and graces to minister to the needs of others.
Our faith is a 24/7 way of life. It defines who we are and what we do. Leaders in the kingdom of God set an example for others by sharing their testimony and their witness. Together, we demonstrate the joy, wonder and power of a Spirit-led life. The test, when navigated with God will produce a testimony. I pray that you can see the hand of God in your life, and that you are ready to share your testimony with those around you so that God may be glorified and your neighbors strengthened.
