Greg Ruble is lead pastor of Living Streams Community Church in McCordsville.
The headlines are full of bad news, and not just bad news, but end-of-the-world kind of news.
The war in Ukraine lingers on and keeps destroying lives. We get used to hearing about i,t but each story tells us about somebody’s life that’s lost or changed forever. The conflict in Israel is constantly talked about and debated. Every hour brings more suffering from death, unspeakable violence and atrocities.
Meanwhile, people struggle everywhere with finances, job stress, unemployment, a health crisis, hunger, homelessness and addiction. The list goes on and on and can cause our hearts to be overwhelmed with all the bad news and suffering around us.
In John 16:33, Jesus told His disciples “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” As we survey the news and the lives of people around us and the struggles in our own life, we know Jesus’ words are true.
I’m so glad He didn’t stop with the warning. He told them to take heart.
Taking heart is about refreshing your hope. It’s about regaining your courage and pumping life into your confidence. Being able to do that has everything to do with the rest of Jesus’ sentence, “Take heart because I have overcome the world.”
Jesus isn’t overwhelmed by the world, and He knows all the news before it happens! He has overcome the world. He has won a victory over anxiety and worry, hatred and anger, sin and temptation, grief and death. There is nowhere else you can go and no other person you can go to who has done that.
His victory doesn’t mean we’re in for a stress-free life and good weather every day. It does mean that in the middle of trouble everywhere we can run to Jesus, who has overcome it all, and experience a peace that will see us through.
In John 14:1, Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.”He is the key to us overcoming our troubled hearts when the world is one big storm.
In John 15, Jesus gave His followers a discipline to practice that leads us to fruitful lives no matter what the world is doing. John 15:4 says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”
Abiding is the practice of lingering, remaining, resting in Jesus. It’s doing everything throughout our day with Him in mind.
He is with you. He is for you. Why do we run out into this overwhelming world without Him?
Whatever you’re doing right now, stop and recognize the presence of Jesus with you. Lean into Him, the Overcomer of the world. Stay there and tell Him what’s troubling you.
When you’re ready to get up and go do the next thing, remain in Jesus. It’s the path of peace for your heart, even when the bad news keeps on coming.
Greg Ruble is lead pastor of Living Streams Community Church in McCordsville. This weekly column is written by local clergy members.
