“Then Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.'”
~Matthew 16:24~
There is much said in the greatest book ever written, the Bible, when it comes to carrying one’s cross. We look to and remember our best example: Christ Himself. There was no bigger cross than His. Not only was His cross was huge and painful. In our lives, each and every one of us experiences some type of cross or hardship. We as human beings are very weak when it comes to our strength and determination of carrying our cross until the end as Christ did. Though my crosses are grains of sand compared to what Christ underwent, I still know how difficult it is to carry, how sorrowful the way can be to travel alone, how heavy the weight of it can be but I also know from much experience that there is a light at the end of that journey. Christ did not resurrect until His passion was completed; He had to undergo that first. The way of the cross is the way that He chose. The way to heaven is paved with sorrow, tears and thorns but it is the road we must follow in order to inherit eternal happiness which God has promised us. And so the two cannot be separated. I know what it is like to undergo temptation, doubt, depression, a spiritual sloth, almost a spiritual anger and confusion with God. It is only natural for we as human beings to be confused, flustered and frustrated when we do not receive what we want from God right away. But here is my tip of advice and what I have come to see so far in my life: “Praise God in the sunshine and the rain!” Many people forget that they have the one who bore the cross Himself, standing right next to them. He is carrying you and I- all of His sons and daughters, the entire time. We are never alone. And we should also remember that Christ understands our need for help, compassion and understanding in hard times; even He accepted help to carry His heavy cross. He accepted it to show us as an example that in this life, not only do we bear and carry crosses, but we also help Him carry His and He helps us carry ours. Life is an uphill battle just like Christ experienced on His way to Calvary. And we know from Him that the uphill battle does get harder the higher up you go. But let’s all remember where Christ went instantly after His death. Even though our hearts may be aching and we may feel an internal, spiritual and emotional death, let’s all remember that Heaven is the eternal place filled with no sorrows, no pain and no tears and that is where we all are struggling and fighting to go. It’s all about taking one day at a time, saying no for today and saying yes every day to Christ and the path He has chosen for you. Your life has a purpose, your crosses have a reason, your tears will have a happy outcome and what you may be undergoing is not a coincidence. God has a reason for everything; believe it and be satisfied that He knows best!
Christ prepares us beforehand for whatever we have to encounter in the future. He never gives us more than we can handle. You are stronger than you think; you can carry more on your shoulders than what you believe, yet all is carried better with the help and strength of God. Only with Christ can you be strong. He is the only man with the greatest strength, the greatest determination, the greatest love, the greatest forgiveness and the greatest trust in God His Father. With God, anything is possible. I know because even my life has been, in many ways, an impossible situation. But I see how all along, I have never been alone. I see how He loves me more than I know. I see how He continues to show me in many ways, that I am not alone, that He has not forgotten me and that He does hear His daughter’s pleas. Never doubt for a second that He does not hear yours as well.
“You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you. ”
~Isiah 43:7~
Always remember and never forget, to recognize His unfailing presence knowing that “even if you feel that you are drowning in the hardships of life, know that your lifeguard walks on water…and His name is Jesus Christ.”