Strengthen Your Grip

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

How many times have we read an account in the news like this: “When I was sure I wouldn’t survive, I thought of my wife and children. The idea of never seeing them again gave me the strength to hang on. I literally thought I was going to die. Once I survived the ordeal and was reunited with my family, I realized that the pain and anguish were worth it.”

The book of Revelation pictures a future that is going to be painful for those on the earth. Not the least of coming travails are those represented by the four horsemen of the Apocalypse in Revelation 6:1-8. The white horse represents a leader bent on conquering the world; the red horse, worldwide war; the black one, worldwide famine; and the pale horse, death for a quarter of humanity by violent and tragic means. Anyone who becomes a Christian after the rapture of the church—that is, during the Tribulation—will have to ask, “How can I survive?” And the answer will be the same as for Christians who experience suffering now: “through Christ who strengthens me.”

If you are losing your grip on life today, let the promise of seeing Christ face-to-face give you new strength (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Our greatest problem in suffering is unbelief.

GEOFF THOMAS