Imagine you walked with the Provider, the Protector, and the Word for 3 years. Food appeared out of no where, money was found in the mouth of fish, and holy scriptures spoken and explained by Jesus like no one ever had. This was a time of amazing events for the disciples. Jesus provided for their physical needs and their spiritual needs everyday. Most of the time they felt safe and secure with Him. But the disciples failed to understand all Jesus told them.
Jesus Explains the Future to His Disciples
Jesus prophesied many times about His coming death. The disciples, however, really didn’t understand what He was telling them (Matthew 16:21-23). The fulfillment of the prophecy, for the disciples, came suddenly in the darkness of night.
On this fateful night, Jesus lead His disciples to the garden of Gethsemane. When out of no where, Roman soldiers show up with Judas among them. In one moment the disciples watched their friend, Judas, betray Jesus and Jesus being arrested. The disciples consumed by fear run and desert Jesus. Then not long after Jesus arrest, He was beaten beyond human recognition and crucified. Jesus was dead, and they believed hope was gone. The reality of what Jesus prophesied came and their peace and security vanished.
Tragedy Came in a Blink of an Eye
Tragedy can come unexpectedly to anyone. What the disciples thought about Jesus purpose here on earth collapsed and life became a huge black storm. Dread of the future engulfed their thoughts and emotions. When God’s plan played out fully in front of them, their joy turned into consuming sorrow. This moment of suffering caused the disciple’s life to change forever.
Disciples Response to this Tragedy
With the disciples not really accepting what Jesus kept telling them, in their mind all hope was lost. Because of this they didn’t know what to do. What did they do? They went back to what they knew, fishing. But Jesus had different plans for their lives. He came to them so they witnessed Him raised from the dead. He gave them new purpose in life. Which was the spreading of His gospel and making disciples.
The disciples moved past their feelings of a dreadful future into a future with eternal purpose. When they were filled with the Holy Spirit they became courageous and outspoken men for the gospel.
Tragedy Moments of Darkness?
We do not walk along side a physical Jesus today. But through faith in the Son of God we too are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. We live our lives under the dominion of our Lord, Jesus Christ. However, like the disciples we live in a sinful and fallen world.
God tells us we will experience our own tragedies. Our plans or how we thought things should go, get annihilated. In these times of great difficulty we are wrought with, “I don’t know what to do,” or “I’m overwhelmed with fear of the future,” or “I’m tired.” We can’t seem to grasp what just happened or how we got here. If you are or have experienced despairing times do not succumb to the despair and fear. There is always hope in Jesus. It might not look, feel, or seem like there is, but the scriptures guide us to living hope.
How we cope with the difficulties and deep hurts in life effect our life everyday. If we choose to cope through the flesh, our past becomes our future. It is our view of God that determines our world view. To have our view changed we must know who He is and believe what He says. Then we will look at life through the lenses of ” but God.“
But God! Is Our Hope During Tradegy Times
Romans 5:6-8 KJV 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
But God, Jesus, the Son of God, Son of Man, defeated death and rose again on the third day (John 20:1-18).
But God, so rich in His mercy and great is His love for us (Ephesians 2:4-6), God Himself, Jesus, bore God’s wrath and judgment for our sins. The blood of the Spotless Lamb of God was accepted. And now, anyone who receives faith in Jesus Christ believing He is Lord, comes out of the kingdom of darkness and moves to the kingdom of Light. Our hope restored, springs eternal in everlasting life.
Lean On Jesus During Tragic Times
Sometimes our darkest time shines like a bright beacon for someone who watches how we cope. Leaning on the strength and courage of our Lord, Jesus the Christ, we will rest assured that in the midst of our suddenly we are not alone. Our cries are heard by the One Who created the universe with His spoken word. We may feel we will be swept away and we are alone, but God says we are not (Psalm 107:28-31, 1 Chronicles 28:20, Hebrews 13:5-6).
Romans 8:26-30 NASB Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org”