TURNED UPSIDE DOWN
Ella McDermott
Today’s Scripture: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33
Theme: When we feel overwhelmed by our circumstances, our ultimate hope and comfort is found in Jesus.
"PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE”
In the beginning of "Spider-man: No Way Home," Peter Parker is presented with an immediate problem. While swinging through New York City with MJ, his girlfriend, his civilian identity is revealed through a highly public broadcast. Even worse, he’s accused of murdering someone many believed to be a hero.
He takes MJ to his apartment, seeking refuge from the public eye–but by then, it’s too late. Within moments, Peter’s two separate worlds collide as everyone learns he’s the man under the mask. Instead of earning favor with his peers, Peter is ostracized at school. And because of the accusations against Spider-man, Peter is rejected by every college he’s applied to–and by proxy, so are his two closest friends.
Although we can’t relate to Peter’s unique crisis, I’m certain we’ve all felt the same feelings at some point in our lives. In response to his growing list of problems, Peter’s first instinct is to try fixing them by his own power. As believers, we are instructed by God to respond in a very different way.
SUFFERINGS AND BLESSINGS
When we encounter difficult circumstances, our natural reaction is to do everything within our power to change them. Simultaneously, we will question God, asking Him to either take our suffering away, or explain why He’s allowing such difficult things to happen to us. In part, a lot of our suffering has to do with the fact that we live in a fallen world. But if we claim to be a part of Christ’s kingdom, suffering on this earth is guaranteed. Even more perplexing is the fact that suffering in His kingdom and for His Name’s sake, is counted as a blessing!
In Matthew 5:11 (ESV), Jesus says, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven…” For now, we may not fully understand why God allows suffering in our lives–much less how He uses it to prepare us for eternity. But we can trust what He says about it in His Word.
First, we can believe Him when He says that Jesus sympathizes with our suffering (Isaiah 53:3). Second, we can rest in the promise we have in our salvation, which Christ has secured for us in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:5-11). Third, we can rejoice in the everlasting hope we have in Him, knowing that our Savior has overcome the world so that we might live beyond it, with Him.
OUR ETERNAL HOPE
In view of the hope we have in Jesus, it can still be hard to lift our eyes from our present circumstances and “feel” like His comfort for us is real. Of this, Paul encourages us to take heart: “Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, ESV). The word “transient” means “temporary.” The things we currently see and feel will only last for a short time–but the promises we receive through Christ last forever.
Make It Personal: If you’re in the middle of trying circumstances, turn to God’s Word. Read through passages that detail the eternal promises we have through Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to imprint these truths on your heart and give you the faith to believe them—even when your feelings tell you otherwise.
Pray: Father, thank You so much for Jesus and the eternal, living hope I now have because of Him. Life can be so hard and impossible to bear, but I want to be grounded in the truth of Your Word. Instead of striving to fix my problems, I want to live in the peace and joy Christ offers me in the midst of my suffering. In faith, I trust You’ll get me there. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read: Matthew 5:1-11; Romans 6:5-11; 2 Corinthians 4:7-18
Weekly Memory Verse: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” John 13:34, ESV