Take Heart, for Jesus Says I Have Overcome the World and Brought You Peace in Trouble

Frank Wible
Sep 6
3 min read

Updated: Sep 8

Matthew sat in the waiting room of the courthouse, his hands trembling. The divorce papers were filed, and soon everything he had built with his wife would be gone. Friends had disappeared, finances were drained, and he felt like his life was unraveling.

Man in office attire sits on a bench in a dim room, looking pensive. Papers lie on the floor. Calm, focused atmosphere. — Trouble is real, but it is not the end of the story.

He whispered under his breath, “God, why is this happening? I cannot carry this anymore.” The weight of failure crushed him.

That week at church, his pastor read John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Matthew sat frozen in his seat. The verse did not deny his pain, it acknowledged it. But it also gave him something he had lost: hope.

That night, he opened his Bible and read the verse again and again. The words “I have overcome the world” became a lifeline. He realized Jesus was not promising a trouble-free life, but a victorious one, because the victory was already His.

For the first time in weeks, Matthew prayed honestly. “Lord, I feel broken, but if You have overcome the world, then help me hold on to You.” He did not feel an instant miracle, but peace slowly settled into his heart.

In the days that followed, trouble still came. Lawyers called. Bills piled up. Loneliness echoed in his empty home. Yet, Matthew found he was no longer crushed. The verse reminded him that his suffering was not the end of the story.

He began to journal each night, writing down the small ways he saw God’s presence. A call from an old friend. Strength to get out of bed. A sermon that spoke directly to his heart. These small mercies reminded him that peace was possible in the storm.

Man writing in a notebook under a desk lamp, beside an open book and steaming mug. Dim, focused setting with an introspective mood. — Even in storms, peace grows when we see God’s hand in small mercies.

Over time, his perspective shifted. He no longer asked, “Why me?” Instead, he began asking, “What are You teaching me through this?” Trouble no longer defined him. Christ’s victory did.

Matthew shared his story at a men’s group, his voice shaky but sincere. He told them, “I am still walking through pain, but Jesus reminded me to take heart. He has already overcome the world.”

Other men nodded, some with tears in their eyes. They too were fighting unseen battles, job loss, broken families, depression. Matthew’s honesty reminded them they were not alone. One man said, “I thought peace was impossible right now.” Matthew replied, “It is impossible in our strength. But in Him, peace is a gift, even in trouble.”

Months later, Matthew looked back and saw how God had carried him. The trouble was real, but so was God’s victory. He realized that peace was not about circumstances—it was about knowing the One who already conquered them.

His scars remained, but they no longer spoke of defeat. They told the story of a God who brought peace in the middle of chaos.

Now he encourages other men: “Do not wait for life to be perfect before you take heart. Jesus has already overcome the world. Stand in His victory.”

For every man overwhelmed by hardship, Matthew’s story proves that peace is possible. The words of John 16:33 still ring true: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Where do you need to take heart today?