We won’t always be found in our circumstances but we will always be found in our Christ.
I wasn’t a child who lacked adventure. In turn, I wasn’t a child who lacked injuries. I have scars from encounters with fish hooks, cleats, fence posts and sharp rocks. I’ve fallen out of trees, jungle gyms, rafts and truck beds. I’ve been stuck in rip tides, crevices and in the middle of the lake during lightning storms.
The above mentioned isn’t an exhaustive list of my childhood experiences but every experience on the list did exhaust me. In the moment, I was afraid. It seemed like my bumps and bruises were going to get the best of me. In some cases, I thought I was going to die.
In the middle of those moments, my parents would remind me, “Everything is going to be okay.”
The heart of every child has moments of despair. I think the heart of every adult has the very same thing. We find ourselves in circumstances that cause us to lose hope. I’m not saying that these circumstances don’t matter. I’m saying that they don’t matter forever.
These circumstances that cause us to despair are momentary. The Christ who causes us to rejoice is eternal. I know this to be true; We won’t always be found in our circumstances but we will always be found in our Christ.
Peter puts it like this,
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9
Peter seems to indicate that our circumstances create a Christ-likeness in believers who persevere. James would agree.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4
Both Peter and James were writing to believers who were scattered, facing trials, and most likely having moments of despair. What’s the gist of their message to these believers? The same message my parents told me,
“Everything is going to be okay.”
And it will be. Because sure, our circumstances matter, but they don’t matter forever. One day, every circumstance will bow to the will of Christ and our lives will clearly be found in Him.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4
