"Abundant Life"

"Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour." John 12:27

Jesus did not come to give you an easy life or to take away your problems. He came to give you eternal life. We do people an injustice when we tell them that once they come to Christ they won't have any more problems- their life is going to be wonderful. That is far from the truth. Jesus told us that we would have tribulation in this world. The Bible also tells us that "many are the affliction of the righteous". Look at the saints of old, and the New Testament saints. Paul said that he was "often" in perils. His goal was to "know Christ.. and the fellowship of His suffering." He later summed it up like this, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:12)
Yes, Jesus did say that He came that we might have life- abundant life. But abundant living is not the absence of problems. It's not the absence of pain, heartache, grief, calamity, tribulations. Instead, it's peace, grace, strength, joy, and the promise of His presence... when you go through them. Abundant life doesn't mean you won't face the furnace- it means that the fire won't kindle upon you. Abundant life doesn't mean that you won't be "thrown to the lions", it means that they won't devour you. Abundant life doesn't mean that you won't walk through the valley, it means that when you do He will be with you and His rod and staff will comfort you. Abundant life doesn't mean that you might not encounter some "thorns in the flesh", it means that when you do His grace will be sufficient. Abundant life doesn't mean that you won't have trials and tribulations, it means that you can have victory over them and come out on top instead of on bottom..."Be of good cheer for I have over come."

If He was going to take away all our problems, when He saved us He would have gone ahead then and taken us home because as long as we live on planet earth we will have problems. But He left us here and gave us the assurance that we won't face them alone. When He promised us abundant life, that promise included in it everything that we would need to live in peace and victory when the problems come.

Have a great day. Abundant life is not the absence of problems, but a promise from the Savior that we'll have everything we need to make it through the problems.