Luke 21:19

“But your patience possess your souls” (NKJV)

“By standing firm, you will win your souls” (NLT)

This passage is talking about the end times when “not one stone shall be left upon another” (Luke 21:6, NKJV). The passage states that there will be various disasters and tribulation for believers during these times; for there will be wars, blasphemy, famine and natural disaster. It says that the believers will be persecuted and betrayed by their family, friends and even parents; where many will face death; but through this all Jesus tells us to be steadfast in faith.

When I think of tribulation, I think of when my good friend passed away last Christmas. It brought me great sadness and shook my faith. I continued to read the bible and pray, but I lost the joy and love in it. It was a hard time for me, but I recovered and was restored because of the Great Comforter; God. But that was only a death of a friend; imagine what it would be like to know many friends who died for their faith. God says that the greatest act of love is to lay down one’s life for a friend (John 15:13). This is what Christ did for us; allowing us to have salvation. Now if laying down one’s life for a friend is the greatest act of love, then what would it be like for one to betray and sacrifice a friend for their own benefit? I would personally call that the greatest act of betrayal; this is what Judas did to Jesus. 

Jesus speaks of a very evil time that will be a dark time, but He said that God will give all the believers a gift of “the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!” Even though there is a lot of evil that will be against us, God will be for us and that is all we need.

Jesus says “don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you”. So many times have I worried in advance of the trials and situations that I am going to face, when really I shouldn’t because God is going to give me “the right words and… wisdom”, which is all I need. To apply this passage to my life, today I am going to write down 3 trials or situations that I worry about and am going to give them to God.