‘Everyone born of God overcomes the world.’1 John 5:4 NIV
Sometimes our problems can feel overwhelming. We might have problems coming at us from all sides, or we might have one huge issue that we’re struggling to deal with. But we don’t need to lose hope. We might feel overwhelmed and crushed by our issues, but God says that we’re ‘more than conquerors’ (Romans 8:37 NIV). When we’re going through trials and troubles, we can know that they’re making us stronger in our faith. The Bible says that we can ‘glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope’ (Romans 5:3-4 NIV). When we’re thinking about overcoming and developing into something greater, it can be useful to think about caterpillars. A caterpillar develops into a butterfly by overcoming the cocoon. It might be easier for the caterpillar to stay in the comfort of the cocoon, but the price of freedom, flight, and discovery, is struggle, development, and breakthrough. There is no other way. Jesus allowed His disciples to experience the storm on the Sea of Galilee to teach them to trust Him in every situation of life. Soon He’d be leaving them, so He used different experiences to equip them for the future. And He trains and equips us for our futures too. So when we’re trying to overcome an issue or problem we’re facing, we need to stop complaining about what we’re facing and stop repeatedly asking God to take it away. Instead we need to try and see it as preparation for the things He’s called us to do. Jesus said: ‘In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33 NIV). So let’s refuse to lose hope and instead put our trust in the One who’s already overcome.
