John 16:4 (KJV)
But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
We tend to hear what we want to hear, don’t we?
Some people focus only on what sounds positive. They either prefer to think about the good things or simply don’t like dwelling on the negatives.
Others focus on the negatives. Sometimes it’s because they are extra cautious and want to be prepared for the worst. Other times, it’s because they have a negative outlook themselves. For whatever reason, they refuse to see anything good.
This isn’t just true in life—it’s also true among those who know something about the Bible. Some people only see the difficult parts. They criticize the faith because they believe the God of the Bible did things they consider cruel, allowed things they think should have been stopped, and warned of a judgment more terrible than they can imagine.
Others, however, criticize Christianity for the opposite reason—they believe it misrepresents God, whom they imagine as never judging anyone for anything. Their view of Jesus is so soft that they cannot conceive of Him condoning judgment or condemning sin.
But Jesus made it clear that difficult times were coming for this world—and for Christians.
A level-headed Christian faith requires us to see the world realistically: both the positive and the negative, both the good and the bad, both the end and the beginning.
- This world holds sorrow. God does not always prevent it.
- This world holds joy. God enables us to enjoy it fully.
- This world has an end. God shows us the way to eternal life.
My advice? Come to know the Lord. He strengthens us in sorrow, deepens our joy in the present, and ultimately brings us to a perfect world.
#BiblicalTruth #FaithAndReality #JesusWarnedUs #HopeInChrist #EternalPerspective
Hope in a Broken World: Both Joy and Sorrow
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