“Sinabi ko ito sa inyo upang kayo’y magkaroon ng kapayapaan sa pakikipag-isa sa akin. Magdaranas kayo ng kapighatian sa mundong ito, ngunit tibayan ninyo ang inyong loob! Napagtagumpayan ko na ang sanlibutan!”

Juan 16:33

Hindi natin maiiwasang mapagod. Sometimes we just want to give up. We Christians also get scared, confused, tired, and anxious. Sometimes, we just want to stay in bed all day and forget the rest of the world. Have you ever had one of those days? You’re not alone.

Jesus knew this, which is why, after warning His disciples that a day would come that they would be scattered — “Darating ang oras, at ngayon na nga, na magkakawatak-watak kayo” (Juan 16:32) — He immediately encourages them. “Sinabi ko ito sa inyo upang kayo’y magkaroon ng kapayapaan sa pakikipag-isa sa akin. Magdaranas kayo ng kapighatian sa mundong ito, ngunit tibayan ninyo ang inyong loob! Napagtagumpayan ko na ang sanlibutan!” (Juan 16:33)

Tibayan ninyo ang inyong loob! Jesus never said that life would be easy or that believers would not go through trials or suffering in this world. “Magdaranas kayo ng kapighatian sa mundong ito.” But He wanted us to be prepared. He also left the disciples, and us, with a beautiful declaration: He has overcome the world!

What does that mean for us? This means that we have HOPE. Hope that this world is not the be all and end all of existence. That Jesus has accomplished the work of salvation and that one day, creation will be set free from corruption. One day, we will see Jesus face to face. We will no longer experience trouble, but we will enjoy His presence and be at rest in Him completely. Kaya kapit lang, kapatid! Kaya natin ‘to!