Overcome the World
When life is very difficult, people sometimes lay hold of resources that they never knew they had. The easy-going, self-centered exterior is cast off and a person of heroic stature emerges. Under pressure, false and foolish facades slip away. A new person emerges, or rather the one who has lain dormant these many years, tyrannized by an outward image bearing little resemblance to what was within. Suffering causes the mirror to crack. As the pieces fall away, we see what is hidden behind.
In the culture of the industrialized Western world, it is difficult to accept suffering. We are led to expect that it should not occur. If we lack acceptance or love of self-confidence, perhaps some consumer item will redeem the situation. Like some vast pharmacy, our technological society offers a remedy for almost every ailment. We come to believe it is not right to experience pain. We are encouraged to block it out, to forget our misery, to act “normally.” Millions of people walk around pretending to be “normal.”
—Michael Casey
Toward God
When we experience hardship, trial, or suffering, the second half of John 16:33 comes to mind: “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Do not forget how that verse starts: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.” And we do well to remember how the chapter starts: “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.” When life is difficult, our faith should be our anchor; our Lord and His promises are our rock. The remedies the world offers do not satisfy; they bind our lives, rather than freeing us. They leave us wanting for what is real and eternal, the grace to overcome. When life hits the fan, we need the genuine article, not a faux fix. Let us turn to the One who has truly overcome! —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics