“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2-3 NIV)
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12 NIV).
“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).
Well, here we are, the beginning of a new year. And, I think these verses are such a good reminder as we start another trip around the sun because one thing is certain: 2026 will be filled with many times of trial and difficulty just like 2025 was, 2024 was, 2023 was, and every year has been since the moment that Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden. We’ve certainly seen our fair share of difficulty in the world over the past several years; we’ve dealt with a pandemic, a war in Ukraine, violence in Israel and Gaza, social and political strife in America, among many other things. Every time we turn on the news, we are encountered with reminders that we live in a broken, fallen world; and, because we live in a broken, fallen world, we can be assured that times of turmoil and difficulty will certainly continue in 2026 in some form or fashion.
However, even though this world is full of problems, we Christians are still called to live faithfully, to be good disciples of Christ, and to share the good news of the Gospel. So, to hopefully reenergize you all as we head into 2026, to put a little spring in your step to prepare you to get back out there and get to work for Jesus, I wanted to dedicate this space this month to give you some words of encouragement; but, better than simply my own words, I wanted to give you words of encouragement straight from the Word of God.
As we look at the first passage listed above, James 1:2-3, we see a beautiful word regarding believers having to endure trials. James tells us that when we face trials, and our faith is being tested, God is using it to produce perseverance in us. This means that we have not endured the trials of this world for nothing; no, we have endured them in order that our faith may be strengthened and we will be better equipped to face whatever trials and tribulations that Satan and/or this world throw at us in the future; the trials that we face give us the fortitude to stand firm in our faith no matter what comes our way.
Then, James continues in verse 12 of chapter 1 that not only have the trials of this world helped to produce perseverance in us, but that perseverance will be rewarded with the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. We have the promise right there, from the Word of God itself, that our remaining faithful in the face of the myriad of trials this world continues to throw at us is going to be rewarded; we have the promise that enduring everything we have had to endure in our lives will be worth it in the long run.
Finally, from the mouth of Jesus Himself, recorded in John 16:33, we are told that we should have peace; we should have peace not because we will never face trouble in this world, but because, even though we WILL endure trouble in this world, Jesus has overcome the world. This means that we have no need to stress or fret or be saddened or disheartened whenever we are faced with trials and tribulations, even trials as widespread and devastating as the ones we have faced in recent years, because Jesus has already won the ultimate victory over this sinful world and the one given authority over it, Satan. If we already know the outcome, if we already know the end of the story, and that outcome is that our Savior has won the war and will usher in the perfection of the new heavens and the new earth, then we have no reason for worry, stress, or fear because we have the promise that one day all of our pain, our sorrow, our heartache, and our suffering will melt away into a distant memory.
So, my prayer for each and every person reading this, whether you are an active covenant partner of Franklin Presbyterian Church or a friend who likes to stay in touch, is that you will take the three passages above to heart, that you will use them as a source of strength and encouragement, and that you will be rejuvenated to get out into your communities and share the Gospel with others so that they, too, can know the love that is found only in and through Jesus Christ. After all that this world has been through, people need hope, they need peace, they need forgiveness and mercy…they need Jesus. We have been given a great opportunity to reach the lost with the saving message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; so, as His church, let’s take that opportunity with the utmost seriousness, and the utmost eagerness, and let 2026 be a year in which we all dig down deep and make a positive impact for the Kingdom. Christ has won the victory over this world…let’s tell everyone!
May the blessings of the Father and the peace of the Son be with you all,
Pastor Keith
