making eye contact with Jesus

Isn’t it true that more than often our initial reaction to difficult news is, why me? Why this? Why now? We all are tempted in this way when news of suffering or trial knocks on our door. But what is the alternative to looking inward at ourselves? In answering the question “how do you persevere through suffering” I wrote of the importance for Jenni and I to be listening to Godtalk. This God really is our God, He really will give us aid, He really will strengthen us, He really will help us, He really will cause our weary bodies to stand, He really will uphold us. This real God does everything He is and says…He never fails, He never lies. He comes for us in the person of Christ, into our suffering and on our behalf. God isn’t against Jenni and I right now. He’s not angry with us and using this as an opportunity to punish us. He is feeling with us, sympathizing with us, stepping into our significant suffering (Heb 4.15,16). He will see us through and work with us the entire way. This breathtaking reality changes the question that rises up from our heart in times of sadness and temptation. This truth lifts our heads and gaze away from ourselves and begins to gently turn it to look at someone else.

We gaze outward and behold our Savior. We look to Christ, who is with us and instead of asking why me, why this, why now, we ask Him: why you? Why this? Why would you become a curse for me so that I might not ever be cursed? Why would you suffer alone so that I might never be alone? Why would you go through unimaginable pain, sorrow, hardship, weakness, death? Why would you do this for me, of all people? BUT YOU DID! You did this for your glory, my good, and for the joy set before you. Now the deeper reality is setting in, and we begin to see things clearly now. The universe is no longer all about us, and yet we aren’t irrelevant. This truth brings us down to just the right size. We face sorrow and pain but this truth helps us to know who it is who has gone before us, is with us and will always be with us to preserve something that can never be taken away. It isn’t about finding out who we are as Christians, its about finding out whose we are…we are Christ’s! And in this time of trial there is nothing more breathtaking than knowing that the King of Glory is with us and will never forsake us!