Suffering
Happy Easter!
Jesus is our model for how to live. In scripture we see how to interact with others, how to take care of our souls, how to lead well, and how to face suffering. The Easter story teaches us a great deal about suffering.
How Jesus Faced His Suffering
Scripture tells us that Jesus was fully man and fully God. On the night of His betrayal, He went to the Mount of Olives to pray. Scripture tells us He was in anguish as he considered what was in front of Him. He pleaded with God to not have to go through the suffering and yielded to God’s will if His request was not granted. His anguish and intense praying produced sweat that “was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
He could have avoided the suffering. Scripture tells us that He could have called 10,000 angels the night of His betrayal to prevent his suffering. But He chose to face suffering. Scripture tells us that He faced it because of His love for you and me.
He could have blamed those around him. But He didn’t. He could have been self-focused, but instead He thought of His mother and another suffering next to Him.
His Suffering Not the End of the Story
After enduring unbelievable suffering, Jesus gave up His life willingly. For his followers, it felt like Jesus’ story was over. But that first Easter Sunday, the tomb was empty. Jesus’ suffering resulted in a eternal victory over death and an opportunity for eternal life with Him for each of us.
Lessons for you and me:
- Face Your Suffering. Most of us do all we can to avoid suffering. We chose not to face the hard things. We numb out with doom scrolling, eating, retail therapy, binge watching, gaming, alcohol and other drugs, sex, etc.
- Connect with God. Be aware that God is with you and connect with Him in prayer about it. Ask Him to remove the suffering. Be open to yielding to His will in His response to your request.
- Refuse to Blame and Complain. When facing suffering, it is a natural tendency to want to find someone to blame. Find a different way to deal with your anger and anxiety than blaming others.
- Look Beyond Yourself. Find someone in your orbit you can help or serve. Your self pity will not serve you. Who needs your attention and support?
- Suffering is Temporary. Most suffering we face today is temporary. The sun will rise again. But for those of us Christ-followers who will suffer for the rest of this lifetime, scripture reveals there will be no suffering in heaven.
If we can help you to learn more about how you can connect to Jesus, let us know. 7,000 souls have faced their suffering by attending a Men’s or Women’s retreat. Some have started by selecting a Coach. Crucible stands ready to help as you face your suffering.
Have a blessed Easter!