Does it feel like God is requiring more of you today than ever before?
I’m right there with you.
Maybe you are suffering through a particularly difficult trial. Maybe God is calling you to persevere in everyday life like never before.
You are not alone.
I think it’s important to know that we are not alone, but it’s even more important to know that as believers, nothing God requires of us is more than He will give us strength to bear with our faith intact and none of it is more than what was required of Jesus.
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
Did you hear that? Jesus doesn’t ask us to do anything that he has not already done himself. That in itself is such a comfort. But the good news doesn’t stop there. Jesus was tempted in all of the same ways we are, yet was without sin and because he walked that out perfectly in our place, we can come boldly (not timidly or with hesitation) into the very throne room of God so we can receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
We are weak, finite humans who needed and continue to need a Savior.
Through Jesus, every provision has been made so we can bear whatever burden God is requiring us to bear.
We all have crosses to bear. My cross wasn't made for you and yours wasn't made for me. Each of our crosses is uniquely designed by God to fit us perfectly and although at times our perfectly fitted cross feels overwhelming and awkward, because of Jesus we can go to the Father to find the grace and mercy we need to help us bear it. We march boldly into the throne room right up to Father God and He can help adjust the cross so that it is, in fact, bearable.
Because of Jesus, we can bear our cross well. We can find contentment in the cross that God has sovereignly and lovingly assigned to us. The biblical definition of contentment is “finding deep satisfaction in the will of God” and it’s something we absolutely can do.
How do I know this? Because Paul tells us in Philippians that God is able to strengthen us to be content in any and all circumstances:
“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”(Phil. 4:12,13)
Our cross is a gift to us. It may sometimes feel like it is a gift wrapped in an unattractive package, but it is a gift nonetheless and it comes from a God who has nothing but pure, unselfish, and perfectly loving motives. He never fails to have our very best in mind.
He is bearing our suffering with us, every bit of it, but be assured, our cross is perfect.
It is perfect because He does all things perfectly.
(Psalm 18:30, Deut. 32:4, 2 Samuel 22:31)
Some day we will see clearly how truly wise, powerful, and good He is. It could be tomorrow, next week next year, or as we enter glory.
1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “For now we 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.”
For now, our vision is dim, but it is here in this place that God is somehow making a way so that someday we will see Him as He truly is and when that happens, all of our current sufferings will shrink into nothingness. They will simply disappear.
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things, have passed away.”-Revelation 21:4
Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone!)
Listen to this precious song!
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