Is It Harder Than You Thought It’d Be?

Have you ever thought, “I wasn’t made for this” out of pure frustration and a moment of utter defeat?   

Me too. 

I have caught myself thinking that very thought a few times over the preceding weeks.  And to be honest, I thought it this morning as I looked across the table at my boys goofing around while I was trying to teach them their reading lesson.  Homeschool is just one more thing that I haven’t quite gotten a grasp on during this season.

I dismissed them to their room so that I could gather myself and my thoughts.  I laid my head down on the table and uttered, “Father, it isn’t supposed to be this hard.”  I mean seriously, it’s kindergarten reading. 

But have you ever thought that?  Thought that this life isn’t supposed to be so hard? (About things more than just kindergarten reading) 

I have been reading in the book of John and came across the passage where Jesus tells his disciples in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  (NIV)

Sometimes this life is harder than it should be.  How do we have peace when everything around us seems messy?  What are “these things” that Jesus had been telling the disciples so that they would have peace?  If we go back and look at the previous couple of chapters in John, we find quite a few:

• Abide in Him – Jesus had spoken over and over with his disciples about remaining in him.  He said, “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5 (NIV)
• Remain in His love – Jesus again spoke to the disciples, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.  John 15:9 (NIV)
• Obey His teaching – “If you love me, you will obey what I command.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.”  John 14:15-17a (NIV)
• Do what He has done – Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.  He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12 (NIV)
• Follow hard after Him – Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6 (NIV)
• Trust in Him – “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.  John 14:1 (NIV)

There are more “things” that I am excited to dig into, but if we can zoom in on a few of these, I believe that His peace will start to invade our hearts and the worry and defeat will begin to fade. 

We must look past what our eyes can see in these hard moments of life and remain in Him.  We were made for this.  We were destined to be here at such a time as this.  If we are still breathing, that’s proof enough. 

So, let’s dig in and determine to be equipped with “these things” Jesus was teaching and prepare to be invaded with the peace that only He can give. 

With love,