We’ve been looking at John 16:33, and seeing that while in this world we will have trouble, Jesus has overcome the world. Here’s a devotional poem from Christ-follower Kim Adornetto seeing the same. It’s called “Shifting My Gaze.”

Stuck . . .
in the downward spiral
of digital dung —
sucked under by
streaming, screaming headlines
horrific with murder and mayhem.

Escaping . . .
into a virtual reality
of vaporous creatures —
where there is no winning,
only wasting time
away from the terrible.

Hopeless . . .
until He shifts my gaze
away from the vile and the virtual
to where He stands victorious —
unstained, undaunted, undefeated,
full of good cheer.

Hoping . . .
to hear my Lord Jesus
once more whisper in my ear,
“I have overcome the world,”
and have Him shift my gaze
from phantom folly to coming glory.

Devotional poem © 2016 Kim Adornetto. Used with permission.

Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” — John 16:33

Jesus said,
“In this world
you will have trouble.”
Trouble will come
like monsters out of the sea,
unstoppable monsters
hemming you in until
you see no way of escape.
Jesus warned,
you will have trouble;
no walls will keep
these kaiju out.

At times I tremble
at the 100-meter monsters
outside my Tokyo.

But, Jesus also
tells me, “Take heart!
I have overcome the world.”
And in faithful times,
in hope and not in fear,
I can see it’s true.
Between me and
every monster,
if only I had faith to see,
stands a giant Jesus,
beating, taming, leashing,
even using all the monsters.

At times I see
how these Godzillas
bring me close to God.

Devotional poem © 2016 Michael Himick. Used with permission.