You Won’t Have Bad Days - Things Jesus Never Said Part 3 | Pastor Craig Groeschel

“In This World You Will Have Trouble”

Scripture References

Primary text

• John 16:20
• John 16:33

Other references

• 1 Peter 1:6
• James 1

Overview

Jesus never promised a pain-free life. Instead, He warned that life in “this world” includes trouble, yet offers peace “in Me.” Suffering tests the genuineness of our faith and shapes us for future purpose. When hardship pushes us to depend on Christ, He turns grief into unstealable joy and proves that the One who overcame the world lives in us.

Main Points

1. Jesus never said life would always be easy

• Common expectations—best parking spots, flawless health, no relational drama—are things Jesus never guaranteed.
• John 16 shows the opposite: His followers would “weep and mourn while the world rejoices.”
• The repeated phrase “the world” (19 times in the passage) highlights the contrast between life in a broken system and life “in Christ.”

2. Trouble and hardship prove your faith

• Peter wrote to persecuted believers (under Nero) that “these trials will show that your faith is genuine” (1 Peter 1:6).
• Counterfeit faith withers under pressure; genuine faith puts down roots and survives the heat.
  • Story: Craig recalled a churchwide funeral where, lost for words, he began with the church’s weekly refrain “God is good … all the time,” and the grieving congregation found strength in that tested truth.
• If you’re still worshiping while wounded, your faith is real.

3. Trouble and hardship prepare you for purpose

• Resistance builds spiritual muscle just as weights build physical strength.
• James 1 urges believers to “consider it pure joy” because trials develop perseverance, maturity, and completeness.
• Personal examples: rejection from ordination, near job loss, anonymous criticism—each deepened trust in God and prepared Craig for wider ministry.
• God’s preparation often comes packaged as pain; what feels like a setback may be a set-up for greater impact.

4. In Christ we overcome

• Jesus’ promise: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
• Victory belongs to “everyone born of God” whose faith is in Jesus—He delivers us from sin, and His peace sustains us through suffering.
• The good news is not pain avoidance but sin forgiveness and Spirit-empowered endurance.

Key Truths

• Following Jesus does not exempt anyone from hardship.
• Trials reveal whether faith is genuine or superficial.
• God never wastes pain; He uses it to prepare believers for future assignments.
• Peace is found “in Christ,” not in favorable circumstances.
• Because Jesus overcame the world, believers can face trouble with unstealable joy.

Response

• Anchor your identity “in Christ,” not in changing circumstances.
• Reframe difficulties as spiritual training rather than random misfortune.
• Persevere in worship and obedience even when feelings lag behind.
• Encourage hurting believers with the truth that God is good—and present—in their pain.
• Share the gospel: Jesus forgives sin and offers peace stronger than any trouble.

Closing

Jesus closed His farewell words with both a warning and a comfort: hardship is certain, but His victory is surer. Our grief is real, yet temporary; our joy in Him is lasting and untouchable.

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Prayer

The pastor prayed for those in dark seasons, asking God to reveal His goodness, transform pain into preparation, deepen faith, and empower believers to do His will on earth. He also led newcomers in surrendering their lives to Christ, seeking forgiveness, new life, and the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Resources

• Life.Church App
• life.church/next