How'd It Go? (#48 of 365+)

Ever have one of those days or weeks when everything went wrong... and then someone asked you, “How’s it going?”...

Joni said regarding the work of the ministry, “Things don’t often go the way we want, or even pray”. Her advice was to “be thankful” when things are going well, and “be faithful” when things aren’t. We must remember that even Jesus Christ’s ministry had low points: “They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff” (Luke 4:29). That was a pretty bad day but, as Joni reminds us, “If the Father is in it, the effort will [ultimately] be blessed.”

One of the last things John remembered Jesus saying in the Garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested was, “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" (John 16:33). He didn’t say he would or was going to overcome the world. As God the Son, Jesus was able to speak from the perspective of looking at the entire timeline of human events all at once and seeing his mission was already accomplished. But he also knew the limits of the human mind and wanted to prepare his disciples for the next couple of days. It wasn’t until after resurrection day that they would finally realize there wasn’t anything in this world they couldn’t overcome!

Lord, I have every reason to be an eternal optimist. Help me to remain full of faith in You whenever I encounter opposition. Amen.