From Trouble to Triumph
A few thousand years ago, a man going through one of the worst seasons of heartache spoke these words: “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). This profound truth resonates through the ages because trouble is an inescapable part of life on this earth.
There are countless kinds of trouble: financial, health, relationship, safety, emotional, societal—the list is endless. The human condition is deeply marked by the challenges we face, and the writers of some of the most enduring hymns knew this well. They dealt with death, loneliness, imprisonment, poverty, hopelessness, violence, and mistreatment. Indeed, no one gets through life untouched by trouble.
The writer of Ecclesiastes summed it up starkly: “For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity” (Ecclesiastes 2:22-23).
But why all this trouble? What is the source of our pain?
The Root of Trouble
The Bible traces all trouble back to the Fall of humanity. When Adam disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the world, and with it came suffering and death. Genesis 3:17-19 describes the curse placed upon creation because of sin: “Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life…thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee.” Romans 5:12 confirms this: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
Sin and its consequences infect us all. As Romans 3:23 declares, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” None of us is exempt, and the reality of sin is evident in both our actions and our hearts. This sin brings not only physical suffering but also spiritual consequences. Ezekiel 18:20 warns, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die,” while Revelation 21:8 speaks of the second death, the eternal separation from God in the lake of fire.
The Hopelessness of Human Efforts
In the face of this overwhelming trouble, humanity has tried all sorts of works and rituals to remedy the situation. But Isaiah 64:6 reminds us that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” We cannot earn our way out of sin’s grip. The debt of sin requires death as payment: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
This grim reality leaves us echoing Paul’s cry in Romans 7:24: “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
The Need for a Savior
The wonderful news is that God provided a Savior. The angel declared to Joseph: “Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Jesus Christ came to pay the price for sin that we could never pay. Romans 5:8 proclaims, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
On the cross, Jesus bore the full weight of our sin, fulfilling the words of Isaiah 53:5-6: “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” His death satisfied the justice of God, and His resurrection conquered sin and death forever. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?…But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
The Gift of Salvation
This victory is available to all who place their faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9 explains, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Salvation is not earned; it is a gift freely given to those who believe.
Have you personally put your faith in Christ to save you from your sin? Romans 10:9-10 assures us, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
I remember the moment I placed my faith in Christ. It wasn’t about a ritual or an experience, but a realization of my sin, an understanding of Christ’s sacrifice, and a heartfelt prayer asking for forgiveness and eternal life. Have you had that moment?
If not, let today be the day. Call out to Him in faith, and discover the peace and hope that only He can provide. Jesus’ promise is clear: “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).
In the face of life’s troubles, there is hope. That hope is found in Jesus Christ.
