John 16:33 "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."
Jesus is trying to explain to his disciples what is about to happen to him and why it is happening. He tells them that he soon will be returning to the Father and things are about to get very difficult for them. He encourages them by saying that even though they may experience trouble, he has overcome the world.
Our lives can be difficult sometimes. More than difficult, I find my life to be very complicated. We deal with pain, suffering, and loss. We see things like poverty, war, and famine. And to make it worse, we have the questions of why and how. Jesus acknowledges that life will be tough for his followers. But at the end of the day, he has overcome the world and we can find hope in those words. We can have hope that we too will overcome the world.
Dear Jesus, help us persevere and one day overcome the world. Amen.
