Since the beginning of this series, we have given some thought to Life’s Purpose and Life’s Pattern. For the next couple of weeks, we will turn our attention to Life’s Power that will enable us to gain victory over the trouble of life that often lays siege on our plans, our joy, our hopes. Life is full of burdens and hardships. Struggle seems to be lurking around every corner of life waiting to sap our joy and jeopardize our future. These troubles manifest themselves in several different ways; guilt over uncontrollable events happening around us, worry about the necessities of life, pain over the loss of friends and family, and many other troubles and tribulations. Individuals struggling through them often feel powerless to break free from the dark shadow cast over their lives.
In the telling of the parable of the Sower, Jesus illustrates the danger to our souls that these burdens can pose. Read the parable as Matthew records it in his Gospel account. Matthew 13:3-9 contains the telling and Matthew 13:18-33 Jesus provides the explanation. In the parable, the hard packed soil of the road never allowed the seed to take root as the birds devoured them. Two types of soil however the seeds were able to take root and begin to grow, but they failed to endure…why? The plants that emerged from these seeds were choked out by tribulation, persecution, the concerns of this world, and the deceitful philosophy that money is the answer to those concerns of this world. Only one soil prevailed in producing a healthy plant that was able to multiply abundantly for the Lord.
Where can someone find the power to overcome these overshadowing burdens of life? If we read 1 Corinthians 4:9-13 as well as 2 Corinthians 11:22-33 we can plainly observe that Paul is more than qualified to instruct us about Life’s Power to overcome the burdens of this world. Paul experienced tremendous hardship during his life, yet somehow was able to maintain a sense of contentment through even the worst of times. Paul states in Philippians 4:11-12 that he had learned to be content no matter what his state of living conditions were. What was his secret? How could he be content when homeless, hungry, and in need of the basic necessities of life? He revealed the secret earlier in that same chapter in verses four through seven. Here he presents four simple keys to having the ‘peace of God’; the peace that ‘surpasses all understanding.’ This is a peace that ‘will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’
Over the upcoming Weeks we will explore these four simple keys to having peace in a life that can often be overwhelmed by dark clouds and terrible storms. I hope you pick view upcoming content of the Floyd County Record as we learn to understand the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Carl Hartman is the Minister at Lockney’s Main Street Church of Christ.
