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 (NIV)

Sometimes I get discouraged thinking about all the trouble in the world. Watching the evening news recently hasn’t provided me with much more assurance that our world is stable. It seems like peaceful times are all in the past. I know this isn’t true, but it’s easy to feel this way when you look at world events.

When we feel stressed or insecure about our situation or about the world we live in, it’s normal to look for security and comfort. Sometimes we try to find it in relationships or in our finances. Where do you find your security? It may be in your job, in your status, or maybe in chocolate! Most often when we seek security and peace in these lesser things, we are simply wandering away from the One who can deliver real peace.

When I was growing up, I would occasionally complain about the way things were going in my world. My mother, always attentive to our spiritual development, would gently ask me if I was finding my fulfillment in Christ. Generally this would irritate me, but more often than not she had hit the nail on the head. Later on I grew to see how correct she was. Looking back, I’m glad my mother steered me in the right direction.

You see, when we get our eyes off of Christ, we tend to find frustration. Neither this world nor the best it has to offer can give us the kind of peace and security we find in Jesus. In fact, Jesus said we’d have trouble in this world! So where are you looking for peace and security today?