Jesus told His disciples, “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.” (John 16:33) We may well feel there is little peace in our lives. We may be facing family breakdowns, problems at work and financial anxieties, not to mention the worry caused by ‘big issues’ in the news like wars, climate change, cost of living crises and so on. We may feel that peace is a nice ideal but that it is not possible to know peace in our daily lives. This verse from John’s Gospel is a great encouragement to us if we feel like that.
Jesus tells us that peace is found in Him. We may never find peace in relationships, work, with neighbours or with other situations, but in Him, we may have peace. It is His gift to us, a peace that transcends all understanding and guards us. (Phil 4:6-7) Secondly, He reminds us that He has overcome the world. All the issues that trouble us now are temporary and transitory. He has dealt with all issues, and we can take heart; we can be confident in the long run. (2 Cor 4:16-18)
