Glorifying Jesus Through Suffering
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada saying that nobody likes to suffer.
Not even Jesus. In fact, during His public ministry, Jesus spent most of His time trying to relieve suffering. Suffering is part of the curse that fell upon this broken world when man turned his back on God. And there is nothing easy about it; nothing winsome, nothing wonderful. And Jesus knew that. Especially He knew it that night when He was in the garden of Gethsemane, just hours before facing what He knew would be a gruesome, painful death. There He was, pleading with His Father, asking if there might be, might be some other way other than being impaled on a cross. And that’s just the physical part. The spiritual suffering that He faced He knew would be worse. Here He was, the apple of His Father’s eye about to turn brown with the rot of our sin. It was more than He could take, knowing such awful suffering was just hours away. He agonized; He prayed in Luke chapter 22, “Father, if you’re willing, please take this cup from me.” But there was only silence.
And that is exactly when the soldiers and torches appeared. They had come for Him. When one of Jesus’ followers tried to stop them, Jesus stepped in and He said, “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” Oh, my goodness, less than, what, an hour earlier, He was begging the Father to take away the cup of suffering. But here, utterly convinced of His Father’s will, Jesus embraced the cup of suffering. If it came from the hand of His Father, of course He would take it. And He’d take it willingly, with no reservations.
This story speaks to me as I face my own suffering. Like Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, yes, I ask God to remove my afflictions, this cup. But over the years, I have come to see that saying, “yes” to hardships is the highest expression of my faith in God, as well as the most glorious experience a Christian can have. And it was the same for Jesus. For our Savior to willingly drink that cup showed His supreme and preeminent confidence in His Father. What glory! He was showing how much He loved the Father. How Jesus gladly chose Him over His own will. And that is the most astounding, glorious of all experiences in the Christian life. To be willing to pay the price, pick up the cross that God gives you without complaining – that demonstrates your love for God more than anything else you could do. You have proven to Him that He is more than worth it; that you rank Him far, far above what suffering might cost you.
So, today, no matter how deep or shallow your cup of suffering, I encourage you to take it willingly. Show God how much faith you have in Him by embracing His will, even when it’s hard, even when it involves pain or discomfort. For you will be offering up the clearest display of what you think God is worth. When sufferings and hardships come your way, consider how you can make God look great through them. See your afflictions as a platform from which you can make Jesus look more glorious. And as you take the cup of suffering the Father gives you, drink it in such a way as to show His worthiness. That He is worth the hardship. He is ecstasy beyond compare, and it is worth anything – any amount of suffering – to be His friend, to be His follower, to be in the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings. Taking up your cross with a gracious attitude is no doubt the highest expression of your faith in God, as well as the most glorious experience you could possibly have as a follower of Jesus Christ. And I should know.
© Joni and Friends
For Better or Worse
Disability presents unique challenges and pressures in even the best of marriages. Ken Tada, married to Joni Eareckson Tada for more than 37 years, shares how disability is an invitation for you and your spouse to depend on Jesus in your weakness and grow closer to each other than you ever thought possible.
