“Now My soul has become dismayed; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” - John 12:27-28 LSB
We could learn much by learning from Christ’s example in how to handle suffering and trials by studying how He spoke, prayed, and lived as He neared the cross.
The first point, I will mention is that He grieved. He spoke honestly about how He felt, and at times it drove Him to pouring out tears. Our Savior is not an emotionless, cold being. Yet, even in His sorrow, He obediently walked the path of suffering ahead of Him. Why? Because it was part of God’s perfect plan.
God has ordained our every moment and a life lived in obedience to Him will have us exactly where we are supposed to be, when we are supposed to be there. “This hour,” Jesus mentioned was appointed by the sovereignty of God and He knew it well. Even though, we do not have the foreknowledge of Christ, we too can trust that God foreknew our own circumstances and will use them for His glory and that if we keep in step with His Spirit they will also be used for our good (such as spiritual refinement) and to help us better love and comfort others who are going through trials (see 2 Corinthians 1:3-7). Sorrow and pain will either drive us to great selfishness and self-focus or it will send us to our knees in desperation for His strength, hope, and comfort. Lord, please give us souls that cry out, “Father, glorify Your name in me, though this!” While trusting in His words, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” Yes, He is faithful and true.
Please read Hebrews 12:1-3. What a powerful impact it would have in all believers lives if we lived with these verses in our hearts and minds, “For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross.” Do we not also have great joy set before us? Yes, we do, and that joy gives us hope and endurance as we walk through the trials and sufferings of this life because we know that they are only temporary. We know that they have the ability to produce holiness and good fruit in us. We know that they, though painful, have a holy purpose. We trust that His plan is good even in the midst of our pain and lack of understanding of how it could possibly be so. Why? Because we have faith.
I know that it is hard, writings like this may offer a moment of encouragement, but when you are walking through hard and painful things, you need to be anchored to the truth and hope of Christ. Don’t simply take this article and expect it to carry you through your trial, prioritize reading the Word of God so that He can give you the words you need when you need them, spend time in prayer before Him, be honest about your struggle with sisters in Christ who will pray for you, speak His words to you regularly, and love you through it all. Walking through hard things takes fight, remember who you serve and let your family in Christ fight alongside you, for His glory. It is always in His will that His children walk through trials and sufferings well.
But I am afflicted and in pain;
May Your salvation, O God, set me securely on high.
I will praise the name of God with song
And magnify Him with thanksgiving.
And this will please Yahweh better than an ox
Or a young bull with horns and hoofs.
The humble see it and are glad;
You who seek God, let your heart revive.
For Yahweh hears the needy
And does not despise His who are prisoners.
Psalm 69:29-33 LSB
Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let those who love Your salvation say continually,
"Yahweh be magnified!"
Psalm 40:16 LSB
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