Then He (Jesus) said to them . . . “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter His glory?”
Luke 24:25-26
Suffering is not a subject that excites most people, yet glory is something we are all interested in. The Resurrected Christ teaches us that suffering and glory are linked. Jesus did not suffer at the hands of an angry God but from an angry religious system. We often forget that there is a cosmic war raging that affects our present reality. Jesus has won the decisive battle. The enemy knows it and is determined to kill, steal, and destroy as many lives as possible.
The Bible teaches us that Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Heb. 12:2). He did not enjoy the cross; He endured it. He had joy because He saw beyond the suffering. “For our light affliction, which is for the moment, is working for us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17). This scripture teaches that when we, in obedience to Christ, suffer in the present, we are securing for ourselves an eternal reward.
One of the resounding qualities of goodness and courage is the ability to do the right thing at personal cost to oneself. Jesus modeled this through the sacrifice of Himself on our behalf.
Jesus also understood the difference between pain with no eternal purpose and pain with a purpose. Jesus refused to let the religious leaders or the mob do him harm until he knew it was the right time to go to the cross. Jesus said, “No one takes my life, but I give it of my own accord.” He knew when and how to resist evil and when to endure it for the greater good.
The Apostle Paul echoes the testimony of the gospels when he writes, “All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). The Resurrected Jesus teaches us we can trust God in the middle of suffering and can have joy in the middle of it, for He looks at the “things which are not seen.” We know that regardless of what others say or do, our Heavenly Father will work it out for our good, either here on earth, or in eternity. Whatever the timing, glory awaits. This means we do not have to live in denial of our suffering nor allow it to determine our lives. We can have hope in all circumstances.
Are you receiving persecution for your faith? Have you lived in timidity out of fear of suffering? Would you allow the Resurrected Christ to teach you how to live with joy in all circumstances?
On the other hand, are you delaying ending needless pain because you think it is spiritual? Are you enduring purposeless pain? Is there pain or difficulty that needs to be endured? Would you ask God for wisdom to know the difference?