GENESIS 15:13-14
Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is
not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation
whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.”

Life can be tough; it can also be scary. Maybe you wonder where you'll ever find the courage to
face a fearful future. That's the question someone asked Billy Graham; he responded, "I've read
the last chapter of Revelation, and we win."
As God revealed to Abraham the fate of his descendants, it sounded less than exciting. For 400
years they would be the slaves of another nation. Have you ever wondered what kept them going
when they were oppressed and mistreated by the Egyptians? Maybe it was God's promise, "I will
judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions." In other words, in the end, "you
win."
Yes, along the way there would be hardships and affliction, but when Israel got to the bottom
line, those who afflicted them would be judged and they would be rewarded.
This was not a "maybe," but something God promised that Abraham could "know
certainly."Your life, too, is bound to have its share of heartache and sadness. No one can pass
through their years on earth without some mistreatment and unfairness.
You may even echo the cry of the prophet Habakkuk: "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You
will not hear? Even cry out to You, 'Violence!' And You will not save" (Hab. 1:2). In the midst
of the pain, however, you must always cling to the unchangeable truth that in the end we win.
When you experience bone-crunching difficulties, meditate on verses such as 2 Corinthians 4:17-
18 and Revelation 7:14-17 and 21:4. Take comfort in the truth that, despite what you may be
going through right now, in the end, you win.
THE PRESENT IS BEARABLE WHEN WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT THE FUTURE IS
GLORIOUS.
WOODROW KROLL
www.backtothebible.in