I remember picking up the newspaper a few weeks ago and scanning the front page. My eyes fell on the bold headlines that reported a bomb blast, which took the lives of thirteen people and injured several others. After reading the article intently, I skimmed through the rest of the page and the following sections, which included their daily share of domestic squabbles, financial troubles, and other political affairs. And it was just yesterday that I came across a story about a young teenager who committed suicide.
Reading news pieces like these made me stop and wonder about the reason behind all of this. Like, why is there so much trouble? Why do innocent people have to suffer? Why does the world feel so broken? Why does it seem at times that there is more good than evil in this world?
Why?
In Jeremiah 8 and 9, Jeremiah laments over all the suffering and trouble in his homeland. He cried out to God because of what all his fellow countrymen were going through. And then, again in Psalm 73:3-13, David expresses his frustration over all the evil lurking about his kingdom.
Both these passages highlight the presence of trouble and suffering. Both Jeremiah and David longed for peace, because who doesn’t?
The sad truth is, in a fallen world, trouble and suffering aren’t going anywhere. They will be there as long as we live on Earth. It’s just the consequence of sin.
However, because we have Jesus, we don’t have to be weighed down by it. Jesus said in John 16:33, “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.”
I love this verse. It’s simple, yet full of hope. Here God doesn’t hide the reality of suffering, but He gives a promise strong enough to carry us through it. That promise is that he has overcome the world, and he will give us peace.
So even when troubles and sufferings feel greater, remember the hope that God has given us. Be at peace, because He has already overcome the world. We can face every challenging circumstance with strength, knowing that His peace is stronger than the suffering around us.