"32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
This is one of my favorite scriptures in the New Testament. Here the Savior is providing comfort to His apostles. On several occasions Christ had foretold His upcoming death and the persecutions that would follow those that followed Him. Personally that would be a lot to take in for me. The Savior told His apostles that many of His disciples would be put to death and that the community would feel it was doing God's will (verse 2). Even the apostles would later be hunted down. Peter was crucified and James was beheaded. Indeed they were going to have tribulation in the world. While hopefully we aren't being hunted down, every one of us faces our own tribulations. The list could go on and on. I don't know what everyone's particular circumstances are, but I know at one point or another we may be facing dark times. I've had my share of struggles and I know I will continue to have struggles. I have often wondered why a particular challenge came my way. I have often felt if only I could trade my struggle for a different one. Unfortunately life doesn't work like that. Some struggles are brought upon us by our own choices. Sometimes other people do terrible things to us without us ever having deserved the situation. Sometimes things just happen. I know for myself though that the peace promised in the second of the two verses is true. This was apart of God's plan from the beginning. Mortality would be full of trials and challenges. They would be difficult. Not that God wants to see us suffer, that is far from the truth. God loves us. He wants the best for us. Tribulations and trials can, if we turn to the Savior and our Heavenly Father, help us develop spiritually. We can have peace during troubled times and difficult situations. I don't know why children starve all over the world, I don't know why people get raped, murdered or kidnapped. I certainly don't know why some of our loved ones are taken from us early. I don't have answers to thousands of these questions. I certainly know though that God does not delight in our pain. I know that He allows people to exercise their own agency, but does not condone their choices. Sorry this can be a totally different topic. All I do know is that this scripture is true. We can know with certainty that Christ really has overcome the world. This is through His great and Eternal sacrifice. Both in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross, Christ has taken upon Himself the sins of the world. He has also taken upon Himself the sicknesses, weaknesses and pains of all mankind. This includes all anxieties, worries, depression. A scripture in the Book of Mormon explains this a lot better than I ever could. This is found in Alma 7:11-13.
"11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me."
This includes anything and everything. He has conquered all possible things that may separate us from God including sin, death, inadequacy, you name it. As we turn to Christ He will help us with whatever challenge we may be facing. Christ has overcome the world. There is nothing that can happen to us in the world that will not be made right, that can not be overcome as long as we turn towards Him and do His will. We have every reason to be of good cheer. Wow there are so many wonderful verses that connect the thoughts I want to convey, but hopefully the main point has been made. To anyone that may have given up hope, or those that are skeptical about the final outcome I want to bear testimony that I know Christ has overcome the world. Good will triumph over evil. I know the Savior has felt the pains we feel and I promise there is relief through Him. Of these things I testify in the name of Jesus Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment