Do Not Be Overcome: God Promises Victory Over Death, Not An Easy Life (Lectio Divina)

“He said not ‘Thou shalt not be tempested, thou shalt not be travailed, thou shalt not be dis-eased’; but he said, ‘Thou shalt not be overcome.’”
~Julian of Norwich

Reflection: All too often, we believe that if only we live well, have faith, and trust in and follow the Lord, we will have an easy life. That God will clear the obstacles from our path, and no pain, hardship, or tragedy will befall us. We think that because we are “good Christians” (or good people in general), we will never suffer and live lives of perpetual ease and comfort.

The first problem with this assumption is that Jesus tells us, “No one is good but God alone (Mark 10:18),” and, as Paul says to the Romans, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).” We cannot, therefore, behave our way into God’s grace. The second problem with this way of thinking is that, if Jesus’s life teaches us anything, it teaches us that even God suffers, and He suffers for and with us.

A godly life, therefore, is not a life absent of pain, suffering, or hardship. Israel suffered, the prophets suffered, and, above all, Jesus suffered. The embodied God, perfect in all ways, is not a God who transcends suffering or meets hardship with stoic indifference.

Instead, Jesus lived a life of unimaginable pain and humiliation and died an excruciating death. He experienced sorrow, indignation, and even anger over the brokenness of the world. The promise of God is not that we will have an easy life, no matter how good we imagine ourselves to be. God promises that if we remain faithful to Him, through Christ, the suffering of this world will not overcome the love, mercy, and forgiveness that flow through us. Even our death will be a victory over the evil and brokenness of this world, as we will be reborn in eternity in love (1 Corinthians 15:55-57 / John 17:3).

~Robert Van Valkenburgh

Question for Meditation: When in your life has God enabled you to stand strong and not be overcome by the challenges you that came your way?

Related Scripture: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” —Romans 8:37 (NRSVCE)

For Further Reading: If you enjoyed this post, check out Lectio: We Are Kept — a reflection grounded in a quote from Julian of Norwich about being kept in God’s love even in adversity.