Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand…

Have you ever been so tired, beat down and distraught that all you want to do is give up? Have you experienced an event so heavy, or season so burdensome, or life so relentless that it just knocks you down, and you can’t get up? Like you stuck in the gutter of depression, grief and exhaustion?

I know I have.

Despite the lies of prosperity gospel preachers, much of the Christian life is more about “suffering” than it is “flourishing” at least in a narrow sense, which I will explain.

In the New Testament alone, Christ prophesied that we would have all sorts of “troubles” and arguably the most clearly in the Gospel of John. In fact, John Chapter 15 and 16 is so profound you should just stop reading my words, and go read John’s here.

I’m summary, it starts off with a pretty bleak promise, that the world and those in it, will hate you.

If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you.

15:18-19, NET

Christ continues to explain this is part of a fulfillment of scripture, that they not only hate Him, and us, but the Father also. This hatred is what fuels persecution towards us. It’s the evil that will someday lead people to kill Christians in service and sacrifice to “God”, just as they thought they did to Jesus.

This is what Jude warned about throughout his letter. We shouldn’t be surprised, as we know many have been martyred and bear witness to Christ in their death.

Yet as Christ pronounced his own temporary departure, he promised that another would come to help us withstand these terrible things. Listen carefully though, as we will not primarily stand against this tyranny of evil and hatred by rebellion, or with some mystical power and force. Instead this one who comes after, this one will make us sturdy not in a necessarily physical sense but in a manner far greater.

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but will speak whatever he hears, and will tell you what is to come.

John 16:13, NET

Yes Christian, you may feel torn down, distraught and discouraged. Today depression, anxiety and anger may define your entire experience. You may feel crushed and unable to stand.

But Jesus, by the Spirit of Truth, will cause you to stand.

Not that you won’t have sorrow now. You will. People have very real suffering and pain. I am a counselor, I understand this more clearly every day. really bad things will happen, and you and everyone else will experience immense pain. I have seen this first hand as a firefighter and first responder. There will be days when you can’t stand up alone.

My Brother and Sister, remember the truth:

So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

John 16:22, NET

I know this much, when we stand on and by the power of truth, we can overcome all division, hatred and violence. We can find meaning in and through it all. When we serve each other like medics on a spiritual battlefield, caring for each others physical and spiritual wounds, according to Gods wisdom and truth, we stand together.

Peace be with you.