Guest Post: Dawn Karels
Overwhelmed. Discouraged. Weary. Fearful. A lot of us are feeling those things right now as we watch the news and our social media feeds are filled with arguing voices and suffering with seemingly no end in sight. I have felt the weight of the suffering of humankind on my shoulders, the anguish of many and the effects of sin-even my own. These are constant reminders that this world is not our home.
I’m tempted to hibernate, to impose a sort of self preservation quarantine. Except this time not to avoid a contagious coronavirus, but instead the disease that eats away at my peace of mind when I stare at the world’s problems with a fixed gaze. When I look at all of the suffering around the world with a magnified gaze, I can no longer see the one who truly brings peace: Jesus.
As long as we live on this earth we will have troubles. In fact, Jesus himself guaranteed it! Shortly before He was arrested and crucified, Jesus told the disciples this:
“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 NIV Translation
Take heart dear daughters of The Most High God. We can have peace, because Jesus himself is our peace and Jesus has overcome the world! I’m reminded of an old hymn written by Helen Howarth Lemmel:
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conqu’rors we are!
His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
I encourage you during this time to fix your gaze on Jesus, the only one who can free us from sin and bring peace.
Reflection Practices to fix our gaze on Jesus:
In John 16, Jesus is encouraging His disciples with long term hope and joy as well as acknowledging their current and soon to be hardships in their lives. Name your troubles in a list. Now name the hopes and joys you have in Jesus.
Take some time to pray through your two lists asking for help, giving thanks and praising God.
One hope that we have is a future with God in heaven. Take some time to imagine what heaven will be like. Think through what our five senses would experience in heaven. This would also be a great exercise to do as a family at dinner time.