Take courage

Jesus never promises His followers a pain and trouble-free life.  In fact, He promises just the opposite.  There will be troubles, and often those troubles are because we are followers of Him.  As two examples, consider:

“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” (Jn. 15:20)

“…In the world you have tribulation…” (Jn. 16:33)

But these trials are not to overwhelm the believer.  In fact, in John 16, Jesus also says, “take courage.”  That is, “be of good cheer, be bold, trust.”  The response of the believer to difficulties is not fear, but boldness.

The trials that are present in the world are no need for fear.  But there is only one reason not to fear world.  The reason we are bold and not fearful is not that Satan and the world are not powerful.  He and the world are powerful (consider 1 Pt. 5:8).

No, the only reason to be bold and courageous is because Jesus has overcome the world.  In fact, the verse is emphatic:  Christ Himself has overcome with continual results.  He’s victorious over:  Satan and the demons (Mt. 8:28ff; Heb. 2:14), sin (Mt. 4:1ff), nature (Mt. 14:13ff), illness (Mt. 9), “worldly wisdom” (Mt. 5-7; Lk. 2:41ff), and life (Jn. 11:1ff).

The reason for boldness in trials is not the insignificance of the trials or the weakness of the world, but in the power and sufficiency of Christ.  If we have trials and those trials then lead us to trust the goodness of God all the more, then we have received blessing through our troubles.

Through the history of the church, many believers have affirmed this truth:

“You will never find Jesus so precious as when the world is one vast howling wilderness.  Then he is like a rose blooming in the midst of the desolation, a rock rising above the storm.” [Robert Murray M’Cheyne]

Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find, to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best —
Lovingly, it’s part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest. [Lina Sandell]

“Our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His Name should have an understanding confidence in Him.  God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the reliable ones.” [Oswald Chambers]

“Come all crosses, welcome, welcome! so I may get my heart full of my Lord Jesus.” [Samuel Rutherford]

“Suffering brings discouragements, because of our impatience.…But if God brings us into the trial he will be with us in the trial,a nd at length bring us out, more refined.  We shall lose nothing but dross (Zech. 13:9).  From our own strength we cannot bear the least trouble, but by the Spirit’s assistance we can bear the greatest.” [Richard Sibbes]