“Hear me now therefore, O ye children, And depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove thy way far from her, And come not nigh the door of her house: Lest thou give thine honour unto others, And thy years unto the cruel: Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; And thy labours be in the house of a stranger; And thou mourn at the last, When thy flesh and thy body are consumed, And say, How have I hated instruction, And my heart despised reproof; And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! I was almost in all evil In the midst of the congregation and assembly.”
Proverbs 5:7-14 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/pro.5.7-14.KJV
Don’t Be Surprised
There are some things that shouldn’t surprise us:
Winter blooming to life each spring.
The sun rising every morning.
Our ongoing need for food, water, air, and rest.
Change being an essential part of life.
Likewise, there’s no escaping the fact that life is messy and full of trouble. This beautiful world is fractured. But despite this, Jesus offers us hope:
“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.”
John 16:33
What “things” had Jesus just told His disciples?
He was honest about the grief and pain they’d endure but also about the future joy they’d experience. He was preparing their hearts for His death and their persecution but also for His resurrection and their salvation. Jesus’ encouragement to His disciples is also an encouragement to us…
We shouldn’t be surprised that this world is full of challenges—but Jesus is bigger than it all.
Following God ...