I actually wrote this post last Sunday evening, June the 3rd. God gave me these words after our message at church. Like.A.Flood. It was all I could do to keep up! I concluded writing for the evening and told myself I would finish it the next day. That didn’t happen and an entire week went by! I felt guilty, but God’s timing is perfect. As always. 🙂 After the events of this past week, with suicide once again being brought to our attention, I feel this post is going out exactly at the right time. I hope it encourages you pause and pursue a relationship with Jesus Christ. You won’t regret it.

Long-suffering. Or to put it another way that really resonates with me: suffering long.

Have you been there?

Of course you have. You know how I know that? Because you’re human. EVERY human being suffers at some point in their life.

The message at church last Sunday was AMAZING. Like really, truly AMAZING. It was all I could do to keep it together. Our pastor, Kevin, basically wrote a message about my life and read it in front of everyone. I felt very self-aware. Like that feeling you get when someone is watching you. I firmly believe the Holy Spirit was pulling out my ears to hear.

We don’t like to suffer.

Well, duh. But just because we don’t like to doesn’t mean that we won’t. It’s not really something we can prepare for. Trust me, I know. I’m a planner. I access and take the unknown very seriously. I worry and pray and plan against the unknown at all cost. Why? To protect myself against something I can’t see coming or control? Yes!? Sounds pretty silly when you say it out loud, doesn’t it?

Our world today is all about self-protection. Self-preservation. Protecting my rights. What I want goes. Not letting anyone hurt me or make me feel less about who I am or what I want. You can’t  make me go through something I don’t want to go through. Well, guess what? If you ever have had a relationship or talked to another human being, chances are, that person has caused some kind of suffering in your life. So what do we do? Give up on people? Push everyone away? Break ties and cut people out of your life? After all, we have to do what’s best for us, right?

No.

At least, this is not how Jesus models suffering.

Suffering is inevitable. You can’t escape it no matter how far you try to run or push people away. Sorry. There’s only so much protecting yourself you can do and then you just have to face it.

Pastor Kevin showed us a scene from a movie during the message. A great movie. A movie Eric and I own. A movie we have seen quite a few times. A scene that is well remembered and talked about in this movie. I bet if I tell you the title of the movie, you’ll know exactly what scene I’m talking about.

Facing the Giants.

Did a particular scene come to mind? Maybe the scene where the captain of the football team is challenged by the coach to give his very best for his team? It’s a pretty incredible scene. But Sunday, I saw a whole new side to the story.

I can’t do the scene justice, so here is the clip to watch for yourself. While you watch it, I want you to think about two things: you and Jesus. K?

Pretty inspiring and motivating, right?

You can really tell how much the coach cares for this player and how much he supports him, right? Well, imagine, in your suffering, that Jesus is that coach for you. “It’s hard, Jesus. It’s so hard. It hurts. I can’t do it anymore. I can’t. I want to give up. Please. Take this away from me. Please, God. Why? It’s too much. I have nothing left. I can’t give anymore. I can’t love anymore….Please. I can’t endure another minute of this suffering.”

Where is Jesus? He’s right there with you. In the midst of your suffering, He’s right there cheering you on. “You can do this Lindsey! You’ve got this. Don’t give up. Don’t quit Lindsey! Give me your best in this situation, your very best! You can endure this suffering, you can! If you only knew what’s coming. Keep going!”

That’s the thing about Jesus. He’s not on the sidelines, He’s with us on the field. In the mud. In the hurt. He’s already walked this earth and experienced our troubles.

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 4:14-16:

“Therefore, since we have such a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that 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.”

I hope this verse is as encouraging to you as it is to me.

Maybe you’re going through something right now that is completely consuming your thoughts. In your suffering, it is almost impossible to think about anything else, isn’t it? Oh, I know sister. Brother. I know.

So what do we do?

Well, honestly, we can either give up or keep fighting. Helpful. Oh, so helpful, right? But that’s the truth. In our suffering, we can give in and let it consume every part of our lives or, we can place our hope and trust in the one who holds us and who holds tomorrow. And the next day. And the next.

Now, I am an overly optimistic person. Like, really optimistic. I think I can fit tall bookcases in my tiny car no problem. I think I can braid my hair, when I haven’t tried in years, and I’ve never been able to braid my hair. I can’t help it. I hope. A lot. Maybe unrealistically sometimes.

But this is what I know: I need my Savior, so how can I not hope? How can I not wait and see? I’m counting on Him to come through with a miracle for me. Have you ever performed a miracle in your own life? Have you ever successfully pulled yourself out of any kind of suffering?

I’ve tried. And failed. I’ve tried new clothes, a new haircut, working out, eating healthier, watching movies, reading books…anything I thought would help me feel better and forget about my situation. In our own humanness, we think our own strength, our own works or positive thinking will pull us out of our suffering. We know it won’t, but we continue to do it. Over and over and over. Or is that just me?

I want to encourage you friends-STOP REACHING FOR THINGS AND REACH FOR JESUS. You don’t need this or that-YOU NEED JESUS! I’m not yelling at you. I just don’t want you to miss this truth.

Will He make you immune to suffering?

No.

But John 16:33 says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

If Jesus has been tempted like us AND He has overcome the world, then what’s left but hope? What’s left but to wait and see the glory and the miracles that will be revealed? All we HAVE is HOPE-it’s everything! It’s exciting! It’s expectant. It’s faith.

My point is this: hold on. Tight. To Jesus. He is with you. You are not alone. You can endure. 🙂

Endurance inspired by hope, right?

1 Thessalonians 1:3

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

If you are struggling and need to talk to someone, please reach out and let someone help you. People want to help you. Make your needs aware. You are not alone. I would love to pray with you.