As Jesus wrapped up His Upper Room discourse the night He was betrayed, He explained that He told the disciples these things to give them peace. But in the very next sentence, with no transition or explanation, Jesus told them they would suffer. If we only see peace as a tranquil stream, this makes no sense. But if we understand peace as more than that – as the peace Christ gives us within us, with others, and with God – reconciling these two ideas is no problem. Peace from the Lord and suffering for the Lord are not mutually exclusive. As we suffer on His behalf, we can know we are following His example. In this, our pain is being used for His glory and purposes; this is what fuels our inner peace.

As Jesus wrapped up this idea, He explained another way peace and suffering work together: As we suffer in the world, we can know that one day all such suffering will end. Jesus has won and one day when He returns, He will make all things new. This is our future hope because we have been given peace with God our Father through Jesus’ suffering.

• What can you do now to prepare your mind and heart to remember the Lord’s peace the next time you experience suffering?