In November 1789, about a year after the ratification of the United States constitution, Benjamin Franklin, one of our nation’s founding fathers, wrote a letter to French scientist Jean-Baptiste Le Roy. After inquiring about Le Roy’s health and the geo-political events of their day, Franklin, who helped draft the Declaration of Independence and was one of its signers, wrote these now-famous words. He said, “Our new Constitution is now established, everything seems to promise it will be durable; but, in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.”
It’s the last phrase of that sentence that seems to have endured the test of time. You hear it all the time. “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.”
While those words served Franklin well in making his point, there are obviously many other certainties in life. One of which, was confirmed by Jesus Himself, who said to His disciples, “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
While most English translations use the word “tribulation” to describe this additional certainty of life, some translations use words like “trouble, trials, sorrows, suffering, persecution, oppression and affliction.”
Jesus’ point is, there is a certainty that those who faithfully follow Him will face difficulty in this life. None are excluded (John 15:18-20; 2 Timothy 3:12). With this reality in mind, Jesus gives the assurance that His people should “take courage” because He has “overcome the world.” While life is short, it can be quite disjointed and challenging. But Jesus assures His disciples that they (we) “may have peace.”
God is Gracious
It is so encouraging to know that no matter what we may be encountering, our God promises to provide the grace to endure it. The Apostle Paul affirmed this assuring reality when he described an encounter that He had with the Lord. After asking the Lord three times to remove his “thorn in the flesh”, he was reminded that “[God’s] grace is sufficient for [him], for power is perfected in weakness.” Paul responded, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
Hopefully, we are starting to see a theme here. Could it be that enduring tribulation, trouble and disappointment is actually good for believers? James would argue that the answer is “yes.” Trials not only help to develop endurance, but they also produce maturity. As such, James instructs Christians to “Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4).
Could it be that our perspective needs some tweaking? In other words, perhaps we tend to place far too much emphasis on “what we’re going through” rather than rejoicing in “what God is doing in us.”
God is Sovereign
Lest we forget, God is on the front end of trials, not on the back end. Whatever it is that is pressing in on you, God has either prescribed it or permitted it. But we can rest assured, that whatever it is that we are going through, He is at work. Again, the Apostle Paul reminds us that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
R.C. Sproul, in his book entitled, “Chosen by God: Know God’s Perfect Plan for His Glory and His Children” wrote, “If there is one single molecule in this universe running around loose, totally free of God’s sovereignty, then we have no guarantee that a single promise of God will ever be fulfilled.”
But God is sovereign. Indeed “His sovereignty rules over everything” (Psalm 103:19). That should give us great assurance as His children. But not only is God gracious and sovereign, He is near.
God is Near
God is both perfectly transcendent and truly immanent. Which means, while He is infinitely beyond us, He is still personally with us. How reassuring it is to know that while God is sustaining the entire universe (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3), He is, at the same time, intimately involved in the everyday lives of those whom He loves. Because of that, we can “cast all [our] cares upon Him, because He cares for [us]” (I Peter 5:7).
We don’t need to be “anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving, [we can] let [our] requests be made known to [Him]. And [His] peace, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard [our] hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). The Lord promises that “[He] will never leave [us] nor forsake [us]” (Hebrews 13:5).
There is absolutely nothing that can separate us from the love of Christ. Tribulation, trouble, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger or sword can’t do it. Nor can death, life angels, principalities, things to come, powers, height, depth, or any other created thing (Romans 8:35-39). We are 100% secure in His grip (John 10:28).
Sure, there are disappointments in life. People will disappoint us, circumstances will disappoint us, but Jesus never will. So, it matters not where the disappointment comes from. As Christians, we don’t deal with the difficulties of life in the same way that the world does—because our hope is in Christ (Colossians 1:27). And as such, we can “do all things through Him who strengthens us” (Philippians 4:13).
Remember, we are “aliens and strangers” on this earth (I Peter 2:11). So, let’s not put too much stock in the temporal. Instead, let’s concentrate on the eternal, and remember that “our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).
(GraceLife Gazette, March 2023)