Consider Jesus

Oftentimes, in our walk with the Lord we will find ourselves in situations that test our faith and our love and that is the purpose for them. We may think we have been taken advantage  of or we have been treated unjustly: “How can you talk to me that way?” How can you treat me that way?” Why did you say that about me, you know that’s not true!” “I’ve done nothing to deserve that!” or whatever the circumstance is. I certainly understand those feelings, I have been there and I’m going to share a little about one of those times here.

I was walking one afternoon, thinking about some things that were going on in my life and I must say, I was a bit frustrated. I marveled that people were acting like they were, saying the things they were saying and doing the things they were doing and it was affecting me directly. As I was walking and thinking about this and speaking some things to the Lord, I was reminded of how Jesus was treated. I considered how I had treated him, the man who had never sinned, who became sin for us:

2 Corinthians 5:

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

After they had mocked him, spit on him, lied about him and scourged him; they nailed him naked to the cross; He became sin for us, bore our transgressions, our sicknesses and our pains on his body, all in obedience to the Father and as many stood around railing on him and mocking him, He said, “Father forgive them…”

Luke 23:

34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

I believed I was obeying God, I wasn't doing my own thing and I was catching some grief for it. Well, my pride was being exposed, some of that self-righteousness was on display. As you can probably guess, all I could say was, Lord forgive me, forgive me for being offended.  But the Lord wasn’t finished talking to me and He reminded me of a few more things:

1 Peter:

19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

Luke 6:

28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

Following that day, I took those words to heart and endeavored daily to be a doer of them; I won’t say I walked them perfectly, but when I found myself looking at the situation, I repented and went back to believing the gospel and obeying those instructions and I did overcome, the circumstances changed and I thank God for that!

As I was remembering these things today I was reminded of the scripture in Psalm 77: “…I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed…” That was surely the case, because I did some complaining in the midst of all this, and that is what happened, my spirit was overwhelmed, it affected my faith, my believing.

So I’m encouraging myself and you too, when you think you've endured all you can stand, consider the Lord Jesus, who died, was buried and rose again the third day for us, for “we have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” (Hebrews 12)

Changing our conversation from complaining to giving thanks in all things will cause the grace of God to abound in our lives. Blessing those that curse us and praying for those that despitefully use us will benefit them as well as us. Jesus came to bless us, by turning us from our iniquities, THAT is the blessing and we should all want that! And as we walk each situation out, our faith and our love will be perfected more, our confidence towards God will increase and we will go from strength to strength, faith to faith and glory to glory, thank God!

God Bless!