The recent events between the United States and Iran brought two Scriptures to mind this morning. The first was a warning from Jesus that “In the world you will have tribulation.” [John 16:33]

The second from Ps 120:7: “I am for peace; But when I speak, they are for war.”

Much (most?) of what happens in this world … in this life … is out of our control. We manage as much as we can, but ultimately bodies age and fail, or illness strikes, recessions hit, or wars break out when we must watch as we send our young men and women into harm’s way in foreign lands.

We can protest, vote politicians in or out, become active in a political party, and still tribulation and war happen. In this world not everyone (nor every nation) is for peace, in fact too many are for war.

Yes, in the world we will have tribulation, but Jesus didn’t just leave us with that sad warning. He surrounded that warning with words of hope. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” [NKJV]

In Him we have a peace that goes beyond understanding. Even amid trouble we can possess “good cheer” because ultimately our Prince of Peace will return to set up His Kingdom and every and all trouble will be forever banished.

In the meantime, we wait, we pray, and, yes, sometimes we even grieve.