The Burden will be Lifted

I am blessed by amazing women. Tonight I sat in small group with three beautiful, insightful, deep, God-praising women, and came home reminded of how wonderful a life changed by God can be. It was not a particularly amazing Bible Study tonight. We each came tired, overwhelmed, burdened, and struggling to focus on the Word. But tonight I felt like part of the body. Breaking bread with one another, sharing our lives with one another, praying with and for one another. Like I said, a blessing.

At the end of our confessing and tears, my dear friend Rachel so sincerely expressed a reminder of heaven, the encouragement that one day these burdens and worries will no longer plague us, as we live freely as fully redeemed children. What a thought! It reminded me of the word I heard over the weekend:

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
John 16:33

We can all claim the first part of Jesus' statement. I understand the truth of struggle, tribulation, and heartache. Divorce, breakups, failures, lost friendships, and a host of other things have taught me this truth. Looking outside of our lives into a world of wars, famine, addictions, and death, we can see this to be true. But I pray that I can cling to the truth of Christ. You have overcome the world. You HAVE. This is not some future action on God's part, though one day he certainly will come for us and redeem us. But He has not left us to the world. He has already overcome the world. I may struggle and experience strife this side of heaven, but Jesus has overcome. One day the battles and struggles will be over, and the burdens of my heart will be lifted. What a merciful God. I pray that we can cling to that amidst our struggles. Christ has overcome it all, and one day will restore all that is good. The troubles will cease.