::lonely, narrow road::

“When it comes to suffering, it is part of our Christian culture to want to know God’s purpose beforehand. In the history of the Christian church, the tendency has been to avoid being identified with the sufferings of Jesus Christ. People have sought to carry out God’s orders through a shortcut of their own. God’s way is always the way of suffering—the way of the “long road home.”  -O. Chambers

I recently made the personal statement that I want to be the kind of friend that Jesus is. I soon had the quick afterthought of what His friendship with me looks like. “Being with Him” means BEING with Him. Being WITH Him. Being with HIM. Jesus struggled. He suffered. And He was lonely. But most importantly, He trusted His Father with the consequences of His obedience, even to the point of being misunderstood, resented, and eventually crucified. 

Peter writes, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation” (1 Peter 4:12-13 with italics added). 

The Greek word Peter uses here in this passage is “pathema”, pain or hardship undergone, affliction. It is a derivative of the word “pathos”, meaning passion. In essence, Peter is saying, “share the passions of Christ”. Peter did not say to merely share the same interests, but share the same heart, the same brokenness, the same desperation and need for the Father, the same self-sacrifice.

To be with Christ, to identify our very selves with Him is to share His passions; it is to be a part of Himself, to share in His likeness, and His glory by His grace. 

Knowing His purpose is secondary to knowing His passions…when I identify with His heart, I am broken for the same things, I am desperate for the Father, knowing I am nothing without Him. I am willing to struggle. To suffer. To be lonely. To trust the Father with the consequences of my obedience. Even to the point of being misunderstood, resented, and unto death. 

To be a stranger to suffering is to not know Him. To take a short cut for the sake of avoiding pain is to never know His comfort. To find another way is to disregard “the Way”. And when He has gone before me, why should I not follow? And He Himself IS the Way! And still better yet, I am not alone, for the Father has, at the request of Christ, sent me His “Helper” to be with me always…