Because Jesus Was Crushed, We Aren't
“We are afflicted in every way, but
not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not
forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…” (2 Cor. 4:8-9).
In this
world, we are afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. This doesn’t
surprise us because Jesus told us what to expect: “In the world, you will have
tribulation” (John 16:33a).
But oh, the
sweetness of these words!
·
…Not crushed.
·
…Not driven to despair.
·
…Not forsaken.
·
…Not destroyed.
There are
always limits to our suffering, boundaries that the enemy of our souls can’t
cross. God’s determined ahead of time that whatever affliction, perplexity, and
persecution we face, however many times we’re struck down, if we belong to him,
then,
“Neither
death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be
able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom.
8:38-39).
This reminds
us of Jesus’ words, “But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Troubles
will come. Car accidents, cancer, natural disasters, unemployment, sleepless
nights, babies who die in the womb, dementia, genetic diseases, and broken
relationships because of sin exist in our fallen world. All of us feel the
effects of sin. We taste its bitterness, and we smell its stench.
Christ and the Great Hope of the
Christian
One of our
great hopes as Christians isn’t the absence of trouble but the boundaries God
sets on it. Tribulation can pile on, and it can toss us to the ground, but
there’s a line drawn that it cannot cross…because of a cross…because Jesus was
crushed and forsaken:
“But he was wounded for our
transgressions;
he
was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that
brought us peace,
and
with his stripes we are healed.” (Is. 53:5)
Jesus was
wounded and crushed for our sin, and his chastisement brings us peace. His
stripes are the balm that heals our deepest wounds and meets our greatest need
for salvation from sin.
Nothing in Our Lives is Wasted by the
Lord
None of
Jesus’ suffering was wasted. All of it was meaningful. It did something. It saved you and me and all those who place their
trust in him.
Because
Jesus was crushed, we aren’t.
Although our
bodies may be bruised, our souls and our future remain secure. When affliction
comes, whatever form it takes, we can know that our affliction is also achieving
something:
“For the
slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory
beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the
things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the
things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17-18).
Are you
afflicted? Are you perplexed? Are you persecuted? Are you struck down?
Look at the
one who is unseen. Come to Jesus. Sit at his feet. Pour out your heart to him.
Read his Word, and listen to him speak to your heart. “Be still, and know that [he
is] God” (Ps. 46:10).
Remember
that Jesus was crushed on your behalf—that you might know, trust, and treasure
him. He was forsaken so that you would never be forsaken. He was struck down before
he was raised to live and rule forever.
When our
“slight momentary affliction” comes, it’s another opportunity to die to our own
desires and preferences and live to Christ. “For we who live are always being
given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be
manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Cor. 4:11).
Four Critical Truths to Not Lose
Heart in Trials
So don’t
lose heart. Don’t despair. Instead,—live, show, trust, and believe.
Live. Live for Jesus. Live for the one
who was crushed on your behalf. Live for him in the middle of your affliction.
Show. Showcase his worth and his glory.
Show others that he is greater, he is stronger, he is able, and he is mighty.
Trust. Trust his goodness and steadfast
love. Trust his timing. Trust his mercy and faithfulness.
Believe. Believe God’s promises are true for
you. Believe he sees you and cares about your situation. Believe he won’t let
you be tempted beyond what you can bear.[1]
Believe that he is with you on your path of suffering.
God always
limits our suffering. Our hope as Christians isn’t the absence of trouble but
the boundaries God sets on it. Because Jesus was crushed, we aren’t.
This article first appeared on Servants of Grace. Used with permission.
For more about Katie's book, Loving My Children, click here.
Email Katie at lovingmychildrenbook@gmail.com.