May 05

Facing Reality, Finding Our Focus

… you will weep and mourn … You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy when you see me … I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

John 16:20, 33 (NLT)


Jesus was wise to speak so plainly to His disciples. He was well aware of what lay ahead—the suffering and shame of the cross. The disciples had caught the other vision of the Messiah and they focused on it: Jesus the conquering king, His new kingdom, and themselves ruling right beside Him. They were about to get a rough wake-up call, so Jesus breaks the news, but in an encouraging way.

We’re not too different from these pre-crucifixion followers of Christ. We have our visions too—expectations that life will go better, smoother now that we have Christ in our lives. He will answer our prayers, right?

Certainly, He listens, but we forget—it’s not about us. It’s all about Him. Our lives are for His service—not for our comfort, not for our pleasure, and certainly not for our fame and fortune.

Our other reality is this: we too have a cross to bear. There should be no doubt; as we follow hard after Him we will experience trials and tribulations. But for all the hardship, we have something greater. We have His peace! And when we fix our eyes on Him, we have His joy—something the world can never give!


Father, heal our wounds and help us to serve … with joy! Amen.