The Ups and Downs of Life 跌宕起伏
Dexu Xia
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. John 16:33
A Facebook memory popped up, showing me a picture of my triumphant five-year-old when she’d won a fun and competitive game of Chutes and Ladders. I’d tagged my brother and sister in the post because we’d often played this board game when we were kids. Chutes and Ladders is based on a game that’s been played for centuries, helping people learn to count and providing the thrill of being able to climb a ladder and win the game by getting to 100 the fastest. But watch out! If you land on spot 98, you slide far down the chute, delaying—or even prohibiting—victory.
Isn’t that just like life? Jesus lovingly prepared us for the ups and downs of our days. He said we’d experience “trouble” (John 16:33), but He also shared a message of peace. We don’t have to be shaken by the trials we face. Why? Christ has overcome the world! Nothing is greater than His power, so we too can face whatever comes our way with “the mighty strength” He’s made available to us (Ephesians 1:19).
Just like in Chutes and Ladders, sometimes life presents a ladder allowing us to happily ascend, and other times we tumble down a slippery slide. But we don’t have to play the game of life without hope. We have the power of Jesus to help us overcome it all. By: Katara Patton
What challenges do you need help to overcome today? How can focusing on Jesus’ power in overcoming life’s trials and troubles encourage you?
Dear Jesus, thank You for the reminder that You’ve overcome the world! Please help me to rely on Your power to handle the ups and downs of life.
我将这些事告诉你们，是要叫你们在我里面有平安。—约翰福音16章33节
我的Facebook回忆库出现了一张照片，展示我五岁的女儿洋洋得意的模样，那时她刚赢了一场有趣的蛇梯棋。我将这照片转发给我的兄弟姐妹，因为我们小时候也经常玩这种游戏。蛇梯棋是一种流行了数百年的益智游戏，这种游戏能帮助孩子们学数字，还可以让人体验到藉着爬梯子迅速攀升，并以最快速度到达“100”而获胜的兴奋和刺激。但要特别小心，一旦你落在“98”那一格，就会沿着巨蛇往下滑得很远，使你远远落在后头，甚至或无法获胜。
像这样的跌宕起伏，不就是人生吗？然而，爱我们的耶稣已预先让我们做好准备，去面对人生中的跌宕起伏。在约翰福音16章33节，耶稣说，我们会经历“苦难”，但祂应许必赐下平安。我们不必因种种考验而动摇，为什么呢？因为基督已胜过这世界！祂的能力远胜于任何事物，因此我们也可以藉着祂所赐“浩大”的能力去面对一切（以弗所书1章19节）。
正如玩蛇梯棋一样，在你我的人生中，有时也会出现一个梯子，让我们快乐地往上爬，但有时也会碰到巨蛇而跌至低谷。即便如此，在人生这场棋局中，你我仍可心存盼望，因耶稣的大能可以帮助我们胜过一切。
作者： 潘恺兰
今天你无法面对哪些挑战，并需要得到帮助？
在克服人生中的考验和困难时，仰望耶稣的大能如何使你得激励？
亲爱的耶稣，感谢祢提醒我，祢已胜过世界！请帮助我倚靠祢的大能，面对人生中的跌宕起伏