"I write to you, young men..."

© Elise Grinstead 2013 (no filter)

“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for His name’s sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, Fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” —1 John 2:12-14

To say that the past few months have been filled with the tension of stepping further into adulthood while attempting to bear the responsibilities it brings without it crushing, is somewhat of an understatement. Life has been so incredibly full—and when we look at it honestly, we see that it has been full of God’s providence, blessing, and leading, but we also see that it has been hard. Harder than we’ve known before in many ways, and harder than we thought it could be. Days have been more full of summoning up gumption to press on, whether by a frantic pace determined by those other than us, or even if it is at a slow trudge because it’s all we can currently muster. John and I have been more tired than we have previously known, and looking ahead into the future has been daunting. We live in a forward-thinking, fast progressing city where it is so easy to get caught up in what lies before us next that we must enter into and subsequently "conquer" that we easily forget that the same Lord who has brought us to this present through our past is the same Lord who will carry us forth into the future.

In times like this, there often needs to be a returning of sorts to what has sustained in the past, a rereading of things that bear testimony of things done and seen, in order to remember that thus far the Lord has brought me and thus far He will bring me still. I was back in Colorado for a couple of days, and a question by a friend returned me to journals of nine years ago (my senior year of high school, a pivotal one) and a book read from five years ago. I spoke with best friends of 16 years, 8 years, and 2 years. I am back in doing a line-by-line reading of scripture and discussing it intentionally with women. In the midst of all that is new, all that changes and shifts as John and I walk forth, these disciplines and reminders have been so needed.

And as I read the above passage from 1 John tonight in preparation to discuss with those other three women, it provided healing balm to my soul.

The disciple John writes to four different type of people and life stages, the household of God:

1. Beloved children or infants—those who were just born into the heavenly family, the most recent converts to believers of Christ. 
2. Little children—those who walk and speak, can call father by name, but haven’t been in this stage for long or have much experienced, though they are disciples growing up into it. 
3. Young men—those who are growing up into men, whom John calls fathers, and perform the most difficult part of the labor, those who are called upon to fight the battle of the Lord. They are youths in the prime of their lives, declared valiant and overcoming. 
4. Fathers—These are the foundation of spiritual families. They have seen the most whole picture of how God has worked in themselves and others, and have the largest stock of spiritual wisdom and experience. 

In reading through this, how the disciple John addresses the young men reached to the core of my weary being.

“I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one…I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”

That we are strong…it goes beyond being in the “prime of our life.” I can trust that He has raised me within Him, that I intimately know His name and His command enough to be able to go out and stand firm in what I hold and profess to be true. That even in the times of being utterly overwhelmed, that His strength is made manifest in me. I have not been born into this world and immediately thrust into this position of being a young adult; it has come gradually, and He has developed and equipped me—by His grace, I am strong.

The Word of God abides in us…

Adam Clarke roughly describes this: “You have not only thoroughly known and digested the Divine truth, but your hearts are molded into it; you know it to be the truth of God from the power and happiness with which it inspires you, and from the constant abiding testimony of the Spirit of truth which lives and witnesses wherever that truth lives and predominates.”

I have walked with Christ for half of my life now, and I see the transformation of my heart over those years. His word, His truth, His gospel. The journal writings of years past reminding me that yes, He has made himself manifest, and yes, there has been a transformation. The truth is thoroughly known as he molds my heart into it, and if I choose to see, everywhere around me there is evidence of the constant abiding testimony of the Spirit of truth. I am truly his disciple.

We have overcome the evil one…

Twice the disciple John writes this—at the beginning and at the end. As I am thrust out into the battles and lessons that come in the prime time of my life, seemingly equipped but feeling so little of wisdom and experience, it is so important for me to remember the ultimate battle has already been won. Jesus has come and overcome the evil one. I now participate in the in between—after His first coming and before his second. The battles are those he places me to fight in—He is by my side in it, for the sake of my refinement, growing of wisdom and experience, and ultimately for the sake of the Gospel to go forth. I may not know how, but He has declared me ready, because He has brought me and raised me to such a point. And this new position of seemingly overwhelming responsibility—yes, there will be smaller and larger battles to fight, but I must remember the ultimate battle has already been won. Through Jesus, we have overcome the evil one.

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For we now see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, then I shall know fully even as I have been fully known.” —1 Corinthians 13:11-12

Abide in Me, dear soul. You are strong. My word abides in you, and through me, you have overcome the evil one. Trust that the ultimate battle has already been won. Though much is thrust upon you and is required of you, remember the past, trust that I have brought You thus far and I will be more than sufficient for your present and future. You are growing into wisdom and experience. And when the days seem daunting and the realities of the future stretching, remember that I lead and sustain. Take heart, young man, I have overcome the world, and you are not left alone.