{"id":5841,"date":"2011-04-04T08:00:54","date_gmt":"2011-04-04T12:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mintools.com\/blog\/?p=5841"},"modified":"2026-07-08T10:07:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T14:07:55","slug":"peace-expectations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mintools.com\/blog\/peace-expectations.htm","title":{"rendered":"Too Hard to Make It Through Life Without Peace – Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Peace
\nNow the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. (2 Thess. 3:16)<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

Peace Comes Through Realistic Expectations<\/span><\/h3>\n

Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble” (Jn. 16:33).<\/span>\u00a0 Expect difficulties in life<\/a>.\u00a0 Don’t expect everything to go right.\u00a0 Everyone won’t be fair and loving.\u00a0 Don’t expect everyone to like you or agree with you.\u00a0 Unrealistic expectations are one of the biggest blockages to experiencing peace.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

We live in a world under the curse of sin<\/a>.\u00a0 The people surrounding us, like us, have a sinful human nature.\u00a0 Why would you expect anything less than trouble in this world?<\/p>\n

No one, regardless of status or how much good he\/she has done, is entitled to health, wealth, popularity, and all the goodness of life.\u00a0 God does not owe us anything although He does promise to meet our needs as we seek after Him first (Matt. 6:33)<\/span>.\u00a0 What He provides for us is out of His grace, mercy, and goodness.\u00a0 If we got what we deserved, we would be doomed forever.<\/p>\n

When we put these kinds of expectations on God or others, we are bound for disappointment in life.\u00a0 When life doesn’t turn out as we expect or people don’t do what we expect, stress builds, anger mounts, despair sets in.\u00a0 We lack peace.<\/p>\n

Realities We Need to Grab Hold Of<\/h2>\n

In John 16 we read of Jesus forewarning the disciples of His pending death and then in verse 33 saying, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.”\u00a0 By expecting the trouble that was to come, they could be at peace, knowing that God was in control.\u00a0 Nothing escapes His knowledge or sovereign will.<\/p>\n

We too must hear Jesus say, “In this world you will have trouble.”\u00a0 Expect it.<\/p>\n

But, it doesn’t end there.\u00a0 Jesus also said, “But take heart!”\u00a0 How?\u00a0 Nobody wants or likes trouble.<\/p>\n

There will come a day when sin’s curse will be no more (Rev. 22:3-5).\u00a0 That hope should bring peace.\u00a0 However, we have more than a future hope.\u00a0 Jesus said, “in me you may have peace” (Jn. 16:33).<\/span><\/p>\n

You can have peace because trouble is not the only reality to expect in this life.\u00a0 You must grab hold of the reality that Jesus has “overcome the world.”\u00a0 After a long list of trials and tribulations, Romans 8:37 concludes, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”\u00a0 Nothing can separate us from His love.\u00a0 As Paul said in Philippians 4:12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”<\/span><\/p>\n

God is not promising to fix our circumstances or remove the consequences of bad choices.\u00a0 Rather, in whatever situation we find ourselves, good or bad, we can be at peace, making it through life with the strength He provides.\u00a0 When we have that peace, we can face anything.\u00a0 Without that peace, even the smallest hint of trouble can upset our day.<\/p>\n

Reality #1:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0 You will have difficulties in this life.\u00a0 (Jn. 16:33)<\/span>
\nReality #2:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0 You are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 8:31-39)<\/span><\/p>\n

Grab hold of those realities and you can know His peace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. (2 Thess. 3:16)<\/p>\n

In this post we will learn how peace comes through . . . Realistic Expectations
\n Continue reading Too Hard to Make It Through Life Without Peace – Part 2<\/span>→<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[72],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5841","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-perspective-in-hardships"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t\t