1362) Do you remember a time when you were young, and you didn’t really know too much about the difficulties of this life? Maybe you recklessly rode your bike, jumping ramps and riding someone on your handlebars? Maybe you jumped off the roof of a small building, not thinking there was a possibility you could get hurt? Maybe you didn’t know there were bills that needed to be paid, so you didn’t worry. You get the idea.

This period of innocence, if you experienced it, was wonderfully uncomplicated but there is a threshold when this balloon of thinking that life would always be this way will burst.

Life is not uncomplicated nor trouble-free. In fact, sometimes life can be unbearable and, for many, tragic. Despite this fact of life, there is another fact that is just as important for you to grasp. John 16:33 tells us life will be difficult, but there is hope. Jesus brings us peace, especially when times are difficult.

This peace does not mean the difficulties go away, but that we have hope. Hope that God will be there with us and there is a spiritual life coming where the Prince of Peace will rule, rather than the Prince of Darkness.

This kingdom of peace is an important fact of life. Hang on to it.