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| For Ohio State fans, watch a replay of the Buckeyes' College Football Championship victory is far less stressful than it was watching it live. |
“I can’t stand
the suspense!” How many times have you heard that? How many times have you said
that yourself?
We do this with
page-turning novels that keep us guessing until the last paragraph. Movie
thrillers keep us squirming in our seats, wondering how the good guys are going
to prevail. And season finale cliff-hangers on TV sometimes ratchet our
suspense to extremes.
But this matter
of suspense isn’t limited to the make-believe world. It’s a big deal in real
life, too. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could be certain of the outcome for things
important to us, and could know well in advance? It sure would save us a lot of
anxiety, stress and worry, don’t you think?
For instance, how
would you feel if your favorite team was playing in the championship game and someone
were able to provide an ironclad, no-doubt-about-it guarantee that they would
win the contest? (For the sake of discussion, let’s just assume this assurance was
on the up-and-up. No game-fixing.) How do you think that would affect your tension
level as the game unfolded?
Or maybe you’re
one of those rabid fans – as I am – that records the game while watching it
live, so if your team wins you can replay it and revel in the victory again.
After the game, when you know the outcome, doesn’t that enable you to relax and
enjoy it more the second time around? No need for gnashing teeth every time
your team makes a mistake or the other team scores. Victory is certain!
Consider a
different scenario: You’ve just been diagnosed with a very serious disease and
the first physician you consult with offers a dire prognosis. But then you pursue
the oft-recommended second opinion and the specialist, upon reviewing your test
results, assures you the outlook is far more hopeful than you’d been told. In
fact, the doctor advises you not to worry at all, that you’ll undoubtedly be
cured; the earlier diagnosis was incorrect. How would you feel then? You might
be angry about the first evaluation, and a bit concerned about the course of
treatment, but with faith in the medical expert’s promise, you’d feel confident
that after going through it you would be good to go.
How about a
friend or loved one going through an extremely difficult time, leaving you feeling
helpless. Wouldn’t it be great at such times if someone could tell you with unwavering
certainty, “It’s going to be OK. I promise”?
Unfortunately,
living in a sin-scarred, broken world, the fairy tale endings of “happily ever
after” don’t always translate into everyday life. And yet, as we read the
Bible, we find God does offer assurances and guarantees, even for the toughest
circumstances.
Speaking
through the prophet Jeremiah to His chosen people, God stated, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans
to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah
29:11). Although addressed specifically to the nation of Israel, this is a
declaration He makes for all of His children. The end result, the Lord
promises, will be a good one.
Knowing His
crucifixion was looming in the near future, Jesus offered similar assurances to
His followers when He said, “I have told
you these things, so that in Me you may have (perfect) peace and confidence. In
the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be
of good cheer (take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted)! For I have
overcome the world. (I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered
it for you.)” – John 16:33 (Amplified translation).
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