Last weekend, my family had an opportunity to join MLCF for their Sunday Celebration. We had a great time with the church family in Mississauga worshipping together. From beginning to end, it was clear that the presence of God was with us. We shared words from God for the congregation, took Holy Communion together, and were encouraged by what God had done over the Family Weekend.
During worship, a verse came to mind from John 16:31-33. It says,
“Jesus replied, ‘Now you believe? Look! A time is coming—and is here!—when each of you will be scattered to your own homes and you will leave me alone. I’m not really alone, for the Father is with me. I’ve said these things to you so that you will have peace in me. In the world you have distress. But be encouraged! I have conquered the world.'”
This passage is part of a section of the gospel of John where Jesus is telling his disciples about what was going to take place – his arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection. At the time, the disciples didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about, but Jesus wanted to remind and equip them before he would return to the Father. In verses 31-33, Jesus reveals why he was telling the disciples all these things. “I’ve said these things to you so that you will have peace in me.” Jesus knew that the disciples and all the people that would follow in their footsteps would face trouble and stress in the world.
When we launched the theme of Patient Endurance for 2024, I don’t think we understood how relevant the theme would be for Lifespring. As much as we’ve heard testimonies over the past year of God’s faithfulness, we’ve also heard prayer requests and needs in the church family. But God knew all of this, and similar to how Jesus equipped his disciples for what was to come, the theme of Patient Endurance for 2024 has helped to equip us for challenges this year.
After Jesus tells the disciples that they would have distress in the world, he follows by saying, “But be encouraged! I have conquered the world.” This was a prophetic word from Jesus. He knew that he was returning to the Father so that he could conquer the world, breaking the power of death and darkness once and for all. Jesus wanted to encourage his disciples that in facing stress and trials, they would be encouraged even in those moments, remembering the power of Jesus.
When the stress of life comes, I think we face a lot of the same struggles as the disciples. Waiting for God’s intervention in the face of hardship is one of the most difficult things to do. We know that God loves us and can do all things, yet we never know exactly how or when God is going to act. We hope and pray for a change in our situation, but we never know if God will act in the way we want.
However, Jesus wants us to be encouraged, even in the face of hardship. Jesus asks us to trust him even when we’re not sure of the outcome. It’s in these moments that we need the power of the Holy Spirit to encourage us, lift us up, and give us peace. In order to have new life in the midst of struggles, we can only go to the giver of life himself for hope for the future.
God, I pray that in the midst of our hardships, your Holy Spirit would encourage our spirits. I pray that we would have peace in you, trusting in your hand and your will in our lives. Even as we struggle with the stress of life, I pray that you would give us new life to face the day with peace and courage that only comes from you. I pray that we would hear your voice so clearly in our difficult moments, and you would speak to us. Amen.