Simply Necessary
Monday, April 22
Luke 9:18-22 (NIV)
”Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.” Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
Devotion
Jesus said that He “must” suffer “many things”, be rejected, and die so that he might be raised to life. Pastor Javon Ruff shared that it was “imperative, necessary, required, essential, needed, important, vital for Jesus to suffer many things.” Even death! (with resurrection to follow!)
The necessity of the negative in our lives is not something that we generally welcome. Who wants hardship and trials after all? Yet it seems that each of our personal stories has those chapters where we faced adversity, when people may have abandoned, abused, or misjudged us. Or where we were wounded, or afflicted, put down in some way, and went through the darkest of trials. Some have faced horrific times of war, famine, and pestilence, unspeakable tragedy. But on the other side of those hardships and struggles we can rejoice that our faith was forced into maturity. “Through it all, we learned to trust in Jesus” in the words of Andre’ Crouch.
How do we continue to face suffering in light of this teaching? As this world gets darker do we quietly submit as we are betrayed? Do we fight the accusations? How do we endure the sharp tongues that lash out at us? How do we take the thorns pounded into our skulls? Or face death’s valley? Through faith we have to believe that God is with us to the end (Mathew 28:20). He did not leave us as orphans (John 14:18). When we are crying out “how long Lord?” Let us remember that Jesus said that suffering was a “must” in the process of the cross. Like a seed having to die in the ground, sometimes something in our lives needs to die. It is imperative that gold be refined in fire and that the dross be scrapped off. Be encouraged that the other side of suffering is reflecting Jesus! He is with us and suffering is simply necessary.
Today’s Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I love and thank You for Your steadfast love and guidance in my life. I admit that when others mistreat me, it hurts and angers me. But I am determined to learn from Jesus’ when he did not answer his accusers. He left that to You, and so will I. Help me to follow his example when he was nearing death on the cross and said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Enable my heart to grow and become like the heart of Jesus, even in the face of adversity. In the Name of Jesus, I Pray. Amen.
Apply It Today
Sometimes it’s hard to let go of the hurt when someone wrongs you, especially when it comes from a trusted friend or family member. Have you ever been in that place? Read Romans 12:17-21 and start putting it into practice when those situations arise.
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