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Scripture: John 16:30–33
Key Verse: “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 ESV)
It doesn’t take long to find out that the military moves people around all the time. Even if we stay in the same place for a while, our friends may move often. Maybe you’ve had to go to a different school for every grade. You might be like most kids who have had one or both of your parents deploy to a dangerous place for a long time. Worse, you may have lost one of your parents or found yourself in the middle of their divorce. Sometimes life doesn’t seem very stable, and it makes us wonder where we might find peace in our lives.
Today’s Scripture reading presents some big challenges and really scary stuff that we experience in the world. Perhaps you or your family feel like you are in the middle of some of these things right now. Through Jesus we can have peace in these situations no matter how difficult they may seem. Jesus encourages us to “take heart,” because he has overcome the world, and we can take comfort in his unwavering grip on us. Storms? Tribulation? Chaos? Uncertainty? Scary situations? Jesus reminds us to stay calm and trust in his awesome power. He’s got this!
Consider
How would your life change if you came to the point of trusting Jesus like the disciples did at this point in their lives? In what situations do you need the calm that Jesus offers?
Practice
Set aside fifteen minutes to mediate on God’s Word. Pay attention to your breathing and heartrate for sixty seconds, then repeat this part of the key verse a few times: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.” Sit still and calm for a few minutes, then repeat this phrase a few times: “But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Now pay attention to your breathing and heartrate again. Write down your observations.
Chat
Dear God, your Word says that I will experience challenges in life that will seem out of control and overwhelming. I thank you that I now know I can have peace when I trust you in every situation. Amen.
