A few weeks again I was in the drive-through at Tim Horton’s with my beautiful wife and three great kids. After making the customary order of two large coffees, our kids petitioned that we go home and have a family meeting about our coffee “problem.” I believe the actual word they used was “intervention.” They joked about our addiction to coffee and we laughed about the incident. Although their real issue was about them having to patiently wait in line at Tim Horton’s while we got coffee, they were right about our love of the java bean and it’s aroma filled, caffeine infused, goodness.

As a lover of coffee, I have been intrigued with different blends and coffee roasting practices from around the world. Many people don’t realize that the process of harvesting and processing coffee beans takes time and is not gentle. Coffee beans begin as a harvested cherry that must have its fleshy covering removed. This removal and subsequent appropriate aging and roasting of the coffee bean take time and effort.

What makes coffee so flavoursome is the process the coffee bean goes through. This same principle is true of our lives. Our lives are filled with hardship, pain, struggles and disappointments. Agree? Jesus does! One of the most forgotten promises of Jesus is “In this world you will have trouble…” (John 16:33a). Jesus promised that you would have troubles, hardships and problems! It’s a guarantee.

However, the Bible also teaches that God can use those troubles for our good and for His glory (Romans 8:28). He can take what could be used to harm us and allow it to grow us and shape us. The challenge is: the decision of how trouble will be used is up to us. We can allow these things to create bitterness and resentment or we can allow God to use them for our growth in faith, patience and understanding. The choice is ours.

When Jesus makes the statement that “In this world you will have trouble…” he ends it with the following promise: “…But take heart. I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b) The reality is, in this world we will have trouble and we have a choice of whether we will face the challenges with hope that Jesus has overcome the world or we can face those challenges with anger, bitterness and resentment.

What challenge are you facing? What trouble are you going through? Take heart! Christ has overcome the world. Choose today to believe in that promise and allow God to use your challenges to form you and mold you into the man or woman He has created you to be. The choice is yours! Take heart, my friend!