Keeping it simple

John 16:33 NLT

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

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Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.
{- Man in Black (Wesley) from the Princess Bride}

The thing I like most about Jesus and the Bible is the it is so realistic. It tells the truth, 'warts and all'.
Jesus isn't selling something. In fact he's giving it away. But he's not glossing over the facts.

-'Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.'

There it is plain and simple. The bare truth with no caveats delivered to people had not even begun to see the worst of it.

But neither had they remotely seen the best of it. That was also yet to come. See I can believe Jesus when he says he has overcome the world at least in part because what he says about the world is true. Here on earth you do have sorrow!

That's not all though. Jesus has healed people, fed people, made lame walk, blind see, deaf hear, and raised people from the dead. Then there are all the prophecies he's fulfilled some very clear and ancient and he's ticked nearly every box. Lastly, he said it. So either he's crazy, a liar or he's telling the truth. And since it looks like he's been telling the truth I've got good reason to believe that he has overcome the world.

Jesus means that as an encouragement. Yep, you'll face sorrows. Some may threaten to undo you, uproot your sanity, and sink you into despair but Jesus has overcome the world. When it gets on top of you, just remember Jesus is on top of the world. He's in charge and large! Jesus can handle your pain. Jesus wants you to know that in the world to come, there'll be no more sorrow.

How does that make you feel?