Amazing Grace

No one is exempt from suffering. It's just a matter of when and how. But no other area of life causes us to cry out to God like suffering does. When we are in the midst of unbearable circumstances, it can seem like God is so far away. Yet, he is usually the first person we call on to relieve us from the hurt and the pain.

While suffering commonly causes us to look for someone greater, it can also cause us to retreat. We often withdraw from others and try to handle our suffering in isolation. But God never intended for us to go through that alone. God cares for us so much that he paid the ultimate price just so he could be here for us and help us work through our pain.

You may be experiencing physical or emotional pain right now. But nothing compares to the ultimate suffering that Jesus experienced on the cross. Jesus experienced pain like none of us can imagine. He actually became sin and had to endure being separated from God.

Jesus knows first-hand what it is like to suffer alone. And he does not want you to have to experience that kind of pain. He overcame death so that we will never have to be separated from God. If you are going through some type of despair, talk to Jesus. Speak honestly with him and allow him to heal you from the inside out. His grace is truly amazing!

"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not."
Isaiah 53:3

Beyond the walls

What motivates you to do what you do? What is your purpose in life? What drives you to serve in the areas that you serve?

There is no doubt that these questions cause you to engage in some serious thinking about your life. Many people tend to go through life without a purpose to drive them. In our society, we often hear phrases like, “Carpe diem” or “You only live once.” We think that serving ourselves is the key to living the best life ever. But we couldn’t be further from the truth.

While Jesus was here on earth, he was not interested in drawing attention to himself. He could have made himself the center of attention in a three-ring circus of miracles and amazement, but he didn’t. He could have leveraged his power for fame, fortune or power, but he didn’t. Jesus’ entire purpose was to point people to the greatness of God.

If we are not careful, the world’s motives will take over our life. When we make it our purpose to bring attention to our own greatness, and attempt to position ourselves in the spotlight, we will find ourselves on an endless search for fulfillment, remaining empty inside. But Jesus came to this earth to model how we can attain the fullness of life. He shows that we should have one purpose, one motivation, one reason for serving - and that is to bring glory to God beyond the walls.

Have you ever asked Why?

It is human nature for us to gravitate toward people we can relate to. Think about most of your friends. You all share the same perspective on life and can identify with each other's experiences. Whether it's connecting with the depths of our pain or celebrating in our successes, we value the ability of others to understand what we are going through.

But no matter how great our friends are, they may not always be available when we need them. And sometimes, even with our closest friends, we still tend to hold back because we're not sure if we can trust them with everything. We're afraid of being judged or think that if we confess a sin, they'll think less of us. But there is one person who we can always count on. Jesus is our most trustworthy friend. From our darkest secrets to our mountain-top experiences, we can share it all with Him.

Christ's time spent on earth allows us to share a deep connection with Him. He understands our battles with temptation as well as our frustrations with isolation. We don't have to deal with the issues of life alone because Jesus is able to sympathize and empathize with our weaknesses.

Don't get flustered about your flaws or hammered about your hang-ups. Why? When we confess our struggles to Jesus, He will unload his strength and grace in our lives. Our all-access connection with Him gives us the confidence we need to know that we can depend on Him. Whenever we need Him — He is there!

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:15-16

Jesus the Carpenter

There is no doubt that Jesus was a phenomenal teacher. But sometimes it's overlooked that Jesus had a non-ministry job as well. He was a carpenter, working in the rough and tough world of construction.

Jesus spent a great deal of time in the workplace, and people were always watching him. Many tried to trip him up, and they would even get angry when he wouldn't buckle under the pressure. But Jesus was always able to handle the stress of the workplace without compromising his character.

Isn't it amazing how a person can be a compromising employee one minute and an angelic church attendee the next? Unlike Jesus, a lot of us cannot resist the urge to compartmentalize our lives. We pull into the parking lot at work and leave our biblical principles in the car. Meanwhile, we take part in unethical decisions and compromising choices, thinking that it is somehow unrelated to our spiritual relationship.

We think that we can have our faith world in one corner and our work world in another corner. We divide our lives into segments and then make choices in one area and think that it doesn't affect the other areas in our life. But God never intended for our lives to be fragmented. Life only works when we take our faith with us everywhere we go, so that no matter what, we can represent the good character of Christ.

"Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him." Mark 6:3

That three letter word...part 2

Shaquille O'Neal is one of the tallest, most powerful players in professional basketball. His 7-foot, 325 pound body overpowers the biggest and strongest professional athletes in the game. But imagine what would happen if Shaq took his game to a pee-wee basketball league. I think it's safe to say it would be a lopsided contest.

If you view Jesus as a Shaquille O'Neal presence in a pee-wee world, then you have the wrong idea of who our Savior was. Jesus did not face the challenges of this world as God. He faced them as a man. Some of you may be thinking, "Sure Jesus was sinless; he was God. If I were as powerful as God, I'd be able to resist sin, too!" But even though Jesus was God, he was also fully human. He was limited in his divinity, and he was not above everyday struggles.

The evil one tries to make us feel alone and isolated whenever we're going through difficult times so that we don't go to the one person who can help. But always remember that we can go to Jesus, because he's been there and has experienced our pain. Through him, we will find the guidance we need to navigate the obstacles in our lives.

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."
Philippians 2:5-7

That three letter word...

We all struggle with sin in our lives. But some of us like to rename it as an error or mistake and think that it's no big deal. Others downplay the severity of it by saying that it's just a white lie, or a gray area. But no matter how we choose to label it, sin is sin, and it separates us from God.

We mess up when we try to handle sin on our own. Thinking that we have the power to control our sin and its consequences, will ultimately spin us out of control. God knew we would struggle with sin. So he sent his son to take away the sins of the world. It's a free gift from our Savior. And all we have to do is accept it.

Once we accept Christ, our sins are no longer a part of us; they no longer have the power to hold us down. As a result, God can once again look at us and welcome us into his presence.

Don't convince yourself that sin is no big deal or that you can handle it on your own. Instead, surrender your sin to the one who has the power to take it away forever.

"John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29