Holy Week

Photo by Emily Hart

This Easter has been different than most for me. Most years it just comes and goes and I remain unchanged. God changed my heart this Easter season. I actually entered into this season doing lent purposefully and it was the hardest thing ever. The Lord had me give up the thing I loved the most, to pray for the hardest situation I was going through. I tried to get out of it - yet He called me deeper. He slowly did things in my life and in my heart to show me who He was to me. Also, He changed me during this season - I am learning more on how to trust Him, despite what my current circumstances are.

Photo by Emily Hart

The week leading up to Easter-so many things in my life came to a head. I really struggled through it - my pastor recommended I read this book called "The Bait of Satan" - I wasn't really sure about it and the title made me be like..."wow...this is going to be a tough read...just the title is intimidating" Yet, God's timing is perfect. I began to dive into it and right away the Lord started putting His fingers on certain areas of my life that needed to be changed.

"If we don't risk being hurt, we cannot give unconditional love. Unconditional love gives others the right to hurt us" -John Bevere

I didn't want to give people the right to hurt me....yet....on Good Friday....I saw in a new light how Jesus willingly allow others to hurt Him both physically and emotionally - without saying a word. "He loved them until the end" the Gospels tell us - those who betrayed Him - those who left Him - those who hurt Him. He still loved them and continued to love them.

He knows what it is like to go through the pain and suffering - He knew they would hurt Him in the end - yet He still gave of Himself for them.

He knew I would fail Him daily - yet He poured out His blood for me - a sinner. Fully known - every sin I have committed, He knows about - yet He, being God - fully and completely loves me. Wow.

I spent some time reading over Luke 14:27 "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." and Mark 8:34 "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." - I had this ah-ha moment - so often I am so frustrated about the hard struggles and trials I am going through and wonder "why is this happening?" - yet when Christ called me to be His disciple, He laid out what it was going to be. "Deny yourself" - okay what does that actually look like? Deny your wants, desires, and self will. "Take up your cross" - a cross - the greatest form of suffering at that time....what does that mean for me today? I need to bear the pain and suffering that comes my way....in conjunction with "and follow Me"...following Jesus means more than just living a comfortable life. In fact, it tends to mean the opposite - our lives are meant to be different than the world's. We can't just magically pretend that following Him is easy. It is the hardest thing - but the most rewarding thing.

We will have trails in this life - that's the truth of the matter. The choice we have as Christians though is this: will we allow our trials to define us? Or will we allow the Lord Jesus to refine us through the trials?

He paved the way for us - He has already gone through it all. He know and understands our situations more than we think. We have a High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses and struggles (Hebrews 4:15) - He doesn't just expect us to be unchanged by the pain - He desires it to pull us closer to Him - so we rely on Him and not ourselves.

I can tell you for myself - it's easier to just be upset at life and the hard situations I am facing - I can't handle life's trials on my own. I get too overwhelmed. But my friends....oh how sweet the outcome is when we allow the Lord to shape us to be more like Him - when we rely on His strength - trusting in His goodness. There is rejoicing in the pain.

Photo by Emily Hart


Our circumstances may remain the same - but our outlook on them can change. If we use our trials to view our lives with - we will become cynical and begin to hate life and doubt God's goodness towards us. In contrast - if we view our trials through the lens of how great our God is - we will have joy and our faith in Him will grow. We will be on our knees more and we will cling to His promises - for He truly works all things together for good - to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28-29)

I don't know where you are at today - but He does. He is waiting to be more than enough for you. Run to Him with all you are - leaving all aside.

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