love – Page 29 – The Will to Wake Up

The Gift of Grace

What makes grace so profound?

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around the idea of grace ever since reading a Philip Yancy book on the topic. He said that grace is the one defining characteristic of a follower of Christ. Unbelievers can be kind, selfless, and loving. However, only those who truly understand the grace God gives us each day, by even allowing us to take a single breath of air, can also extend that grace.

I know so many Christians who are doing incredibly unchristian things. I’m not talking about the “hot topic” sins. I’m talking about saying hurtful things, joining in with the rest of the world in condemning others, and participating in this mass spread of unkindness. They say that we have to hold people accountable for their actions, which is true, but we need to do it in the right way. There needs to be room for grace. There needs to be room for understanding, because so often we are too quick to judge. We assume everyone who’s different from us has evil motivations. We don’t like to admit it, but it’s true.

The thing about grace is that it doesn’t make sense. I’ll be bold enough to say that it isn’t supposed to make sense, at least on this side of Heaven. Grace isn’t naïve or dismissive. Grace is acknowledging the wrong, the hurt, but still showing compassion and love. Grace isn’t injustice, but rather transformative forgiveness that leads to deeper healing.

Here’s the tough thing about grace: it goes against our human nature. It goes against what the world tells us. Grace is loving your enemy, whether your enemy takes the form of your annoying next door neighbor, a hurtful relative, or a person with an opposing political view. Grace isn’t agreeing with their actions or misbeliefs; grace is seeing the person inside them. We need to show ourselves grace too, whether that’s when we look in the mirror, receive a critical remark, or make the same mistake again.

Grace takes humility. In order to show grace, we can’t have an attitude of self-righteousness. We have to admit that we’re wrong sometimes too. We have to realize that we have also been shown grace, the greatest grace that has existed, the grace of God. We are only here because of His grace.

Every time I’m tempted to post something that I know might offend or hurt someone’s feelings, I think about my purpose. God didn’t put me here to crack a joke at someone else’s expense. God didn’t put me here to mock others. God didn’t put me here to be the opposite of Jesus. Jesus embodies grace, compassion, and faithfulness. As followers of Christ, our purpose and mission should be embodying everything Jesus embodied.

But the best part about grace is that it lets go of the past. Jesus always sees you as His perfect creation. He doesn’t see all the messy things that we like to point out in others or even in ourselves. And if Jesus can love us perfectly like that, Him being the most powerful being ever, then can’t we extend just a fraction of that grace to others?

For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
Ephesians 2:8

And the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 1:14

The Power of Vulnerability

Do you view being vulnerable as a strength or weakness?

In 2003, a young boy and his family experienced a life-altering event that would impact many lives around the world. Colton, the child, had an emergency surgery that doctors were amazed he survived through. While in surgery, he temporarily died and was able to be in Heaven. During the time when the doctors weren’t sure if he’d make it, Colton’s father, a pastor, poured his heart out to Jesus to save His son. He wept and he screamed and he demanded that life be restored.

In an interview with Colton and his dad, they were asked why Colton wanted to come back to Earth after having such a wonderful experience with Jesus in Heaven. Colton responded, “I knew that I was leaving Heaven because Jesus came to me and said, ‘Colton, you need to go back’…He said he was answering my dad’s prayer.” That prayer happened to be the outburst made when all hope was lost. When choice words were used, when hurt was exposed, when life seemed bleakest.

I so often wonder what we lose when we don’t expose our full selves to God. Obviously He knows every part of us, but He honors it when we trust Him enough to bring those parts to Him by our own will. Yet it’s so tempting to believe that because Jesus is our Lord and Savior, the all-knowing, perfect One, we must only bring the best parts of us to Him.

Yesterday, I was privileged enough to hear the testimony of a new pastor at our church. Despite having only been with us for three months and not evening knowing us in-person yet, she shared many trials and tragedies from her spiritual journey. She was open, vulnerable, and relatable. That was the beauty of her story. Not the wonderful articulation of it or even finding the perfect Bible passage to close, though those were also true. No, it was when she created a space of both healing and grief, of brokenness and restoration.

How often do we miss out on the opportunity of being a better leader or friend or family member because we feel the need to put on an act. Vulnerability is associated with being weak, but being vulnerable is actually a great strength. It requires conquering the fear of judgement first. We often believe we must “have it all together” in order to be accepted, right? Maybe, maybe not.

What if we enter all our relationships with a sense of vulnerability? Not naivety, not blind trust, but rather relatability? The willingness to allow the broken part of our lives inspire and touch others?

Interestingly, the reason I joined this meeting was because of the title, “New Beginnings”. This phrase has popped up in my life time and again over the last six months or so, a sign from God, I believe. I’ve often associated this phrase with the idea of starting with a clean slate, leaving behind the past.

But yesterday I was presented with a new idea. New beginnings doesn’t mean moving past the hurt before we’re ready. It means allowing God to restore and redeem the past, pondering our experiences in a new way.

The best way to accept God’s transformation in our lives is giving the all of ourselves to Him. The broken, the shattered, the weary. The hopeful, the curious, the eager. Everything.

I’m going to close with Psalm 103, which was read during my meeting yesterday. The pastor shared how this psalm means so much to her as it was shared by a friend fighting cancer. It reminds us all of God’s never ending love for us.

1 Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: 8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. 15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. 17 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— 18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. 19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. 21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. 22 Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, my soul.
Psalm 103

Source of introduction story: Historyvshollywood.com

This Year’s Lesson

Today I’ll be sharing what God’s taught me this past year!

As my birthday approaches, I’ve been thinking about what God’s been teaching me over the past year. Just choosing one thing to write about is hard! I mean, there’s learning how to listen to Him, how to relinquish control, how to trust Him…

He’s shown me how to grow even in places I never expected to be in. He’s taught me the power of our words. He’s shown me that He’s the only one who can satisfy me.

But the most important thing I’ve learned is that God works in mysterious ways. So many times, things don’t go according to my plan. I wanted this or I wanted that, and when it didn’t happen, I assumed God stopped caring about me. I lost hope. I chose to not see the good in the situation.

If I’m going to be real with you, the past two birthdays, I longed to be in a romantic relationship. After a series of events, I thought that was God’s plan. Or maybe I just wanted it to be?

But this year, God’s shown me that’s not what I need right now. And it’s taken me a year to accept that, to be joyful about that. And I am content about that. Right now, He’s building my relationship with Him so that it’s a solid foundation before I move on to the next season of life.

Growth doesn’t always present itself in the traditional ways. For me, being able to write that past paragraph is a growth step. The biggest goal we can have for each year is that we’re in a better place now than where we were the following year. It doesn’t have to be a place super far away. Just enough to know that we’re still moving forward.

Through my previous example, along with riding a horse I wouldn’t have naturally chosen, being distanced from people I care about, and having school online, have all been things that I didn’t expect or even want. But God has worked through those things to show me that I can still have joy no matter what situation He puts me in. I’m going to have to constantly remind myself of this, but now I know the truth.

God also surprises us in wonderful ways too. He’s given me a new, better job. He’s shown me how to appreciate the people around me. He’s blessed me with an outrageously hilarious puppy. If you think hard enough, I bet you’ll think of some ways God has unexpectedly blessed you too.

You’re not a failure for not being in the place you wished you were in. You’re not a failure for your plans not working out. God’s plans are ultimately so much greater than anything we can imagine. So take heart, because Jesus has overcome the world.

This year, I look forward to growing alongside you. I already have many new posts planned! But I’m also ready to live in the moment and not worry about what’s next because it’s all in God’s hands.

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.
John 16:33

Something a Little Different

Today’s Encouragement Thursday is a podcast episode! I hope you enjoy it!

Hey everyone! I have some *super exciting* news for you! I created a podcast a couple months ago, also called The Will to Wake Up. Today’s Encouragement Thursday post is a podcast episode called The Secret to Life. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think!

Episode link: https://anchor.fm/hannah-chung4/episodes/The-Secret-to-Life-evfm07

Podcast link: https://anchor.fm/hannah-chung4

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful rest of your week!

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words
Romans 8:26

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
2 Peter 3:18

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Does the past cling onto you? Do old memories resurface in your mind far too often? Here is some encouragement.

Are you ever going about your day, things are going alright, and then suddenly it hits you– a memory from the past. This memory, whether pleasant or embarrassing or painful, persistently pushes its way into your mind until you feel obligated to think about it. After a few minutes, you’ve stopped everything just to ruminate on the past. You start feeling discontent, uncomfortable, and perhaps even angry. Maybe something is haunting you or you miss the safety of the “known”.

Believe it or not, the Bible doesn’t kid around when it comes to warning us about getting “stuck in the past”. Take Lot’s wife. Her family was saved by God (with a little help from Abraham) from a terrible city just before its destruction. Yet she still looked back, and then poof, she became a pillar of salt!

I’ve often wondered why she was tempted to look back on such a horrible time in her life. Though don’t we often fixate on those moments we wish we could change? That one mistake that led us here. Or perhaps there’s a sense of safety, even in a painful past, that the unknown future doesn’t give us?

Yet I believe with my whole heart that looking back can destroy us. I don’t take this issue lightly, and it’s because I’ve been “destroyed” in this way. No, I haven’t become a pillar of salt, but I have missed out on enjoying the present by focusing on the past. I’ve also lost self-confidence, self-respect, and gratitude to God during these darker moments of my life.

Sometimes it seems harmless to allow those memories to fill our minds. But they tend to take over, an unwelcome guest, staying “rent free” in our heads. I’ll give you a recent example from my life, and perhaps you can think of your own.

A little less than a year ago, a relationship I had poured myself into began dwindling away. I deeply grieved this loss and spent much of the summer and fall wondering what I had done wrong. But over time, I was able to move past it and allow myself to let go. However, every so often, a memory will pop into my mind. Usually it’s an embarrassing one, and I start criticizing myself all over again.

Now, this isn’t constructive in the least bit. I’m just hurting myself all over again when there’s nothing more I can do to “make things right”. And I’ll bet these “mistakes” I made in conversations weren’t what caused our relationship to take a different turn than what I had hoped for. We like to blame the wrong things when life changes naturally, don’t we?

But you know what the saddest thing about this situation is? I’ve let these intrusive thoughts separate me from God. I’ve taken more time to relive a bad memory and secretly wish to be back there to reverse things than thank God for all He’s currently doing in my life. By going back to that unhealthy place, I’m not giving myself the respect that I deserve either. And you know what? It’s been proven that our memory changes with time. Who knows if what we remember is even the truth?

Just for the record, I’m not saying looking back on the past is a bad thing. And we shouldn’t sugarcoat the bad things that have happened in our lives just to please others or because we think we have to. But we also shouldn’t allow the past to control the present. In fact, it shouldn’t even be the biggest influencer in our present. God needs to be. Listening to the Holy Spirit needs to be. Noticing what makes you and those around you joyful needs to be.

There are so many things we can learn from the past. I mean, that’s why we have history class at school, right? But the bottom line is this: You will never miss out on what’s meant for you. When we focus on the past, we forget that vital truth. We stop trusting God and put our hopes and dreams into something that isn’t relevant anymore. And when we put our trust in God instead, we will begin to see the changes we were hoping for.

Next time you find yourself reminiscing, think about how God is using your past to help shape you for the future. Allow yourself to focus on what God is doing in the here and now. Remembering how God has proven Himself to you can encourage you. But so can paying attention to all the things God does on a daily basis! I hope and pray you are able to slowly let go and move onto the path God has laid out for you.

And that path, my friend, only leads forward.

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:18-19

(Normally I just end with Bible verses, but I found a few inspirational quotes that are encouraging too!)

Keep planting and sowing, living and knowing: beautiful things take time, and that is okay.
Morgan Harper Nichols

You are allowed to let go of all those that do not set you free anymore.
Dhiman

Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith.
Elisabeth Elliot

“Skimming” Through the Hard Parts

Is it easy or difficult for you to confront your painful feelings? Here is some encouragement.

Growing up, I was always a fast reader. I’d love rereading my favorite stories, and one of the benefits of knowing the plot ahead of time was skipping or skimming through the parts I didn’t like. Those parts generally included descriptions of bodily harm, embarrassing moments (second-hand embarrassment is real!), and generally any time a character I liked got hurt.

It appears my method of “skimming through the hard parts” has stuck with me through the years. I’ve been journaling for several years now, during a time when I’ve changed a lot, and looking back at old entries makes me cringe! I used to enjoy going through old journals, but now I avoid it because I’d rather just ignore the embarrassing (or even painful) memories.

I’ve shared this before, but I’m not one who easily shares her feelings. I don’t like to admit something has hurt me. Perhaps I subconsciously think that admitting weakness makes me a weak person.

A wise mentor once told me that “the moment we admit something made us afraid, fear loses its power over us”. That will forever be one of my favorite quotes, and to think I heard it in person! Today my pastor tweaked this idea a little bit in a way that may help us both be willing to admit our wounds.

During my Easter series, one of the posts was focused on Thomas and how we can relate to him. Jesus welcomes our questions and our doubts; they aren’t signs of unbelief. Believe it or not, Jesus can handle whatever question we throw at Him!

In the service this morning, the pastor shared how Thomas was able to touch Jesus’ wounds for himself. They must have been healed in some way, right? Thomas wouldn’t have needed to even ask the question of where Jesus’ wounds were if Jesus had blood gushing out of His palms. But yet, there was still enough of a mark to show everyone that He was truly Jesus. And perhaps those wounds never went away until Jesus ascended into Heaven.

But did Jesus hide His wounds, these symbols of the pain and torture He endured? No, he opened conversation about them. He used them as ways to bring others into belief.

What kinds of wounds have you been carrying around with you? Perhaps it’s a painful loss, an abusive relationship, a childhood trauma. Or maybe it’s being rejected, not being seen, or feeling betrayed. Whatever you have been hiding, allow yourself to fully grieve.

You can only heal when you admit your pain and your loss. You can only heal when you allow yourself to feel what you’ve been avoiding, or “skimming”. You see, we can’t skip over the hard parts in life. We can’t speed up the grieving or healing process.

And in those moments of grief, if we turn to God, we can find belief. We can find answers. We can find unexplainable peace.

These wounds are always going to be a part of your story, but they don’t always have to be a painful part. They can lead others to Christ or bring you closer to God.

Today, ask yourself, “What am I running from? What about grief or loss makes me avoid it?” Allow God’s comfort to fill your heart.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

The Secret to Living a Satisfied Life

Do you feel satisfied with your life? Here is the key to making your life better.

Be honest with me (or really, with yourself)– Are you satisfied with your life right now?

If you said yes, then good for you!

But if not, and I’m guessing most of you aren’t completely satisfied with your life, then you are in good company. According to the World Happiness Report, “the pandemic’s toll on negative emotions is clear”. Many people in the world are very unhappy these days. Perhaps it’s due to searching for employment, struggling to be in good health, or just a genuine feeling of discouragement. Whatever is causing this your discontentment, I hope to bring you some encouragement.

Have you ever re-tried a food from your childhood and realized it didn’t taste anything like what you remembered? When I was a kid, I loved the white cheddar puff snack called Pirate’s Booty. (I still remember joking about the name with my friends). Years later, I tried the Trader Joe’s version of this snack, called more professionally “White Cheddar Puffs”. And let me tell you– there’s no going back. I tried Pirate’s Booty again and there wasn’t even a competition. While I could (confession time!) devour a bag of Trader Joe’s snack in a day or two, it took me weeks before the Pirate’s Booty was consumed. Once we know what’s better, there’s no going back, right? We only want the really good stuff.

A lot of times we tell ourselves that once we have ____, then we’ll be satisfied. Maybe you fill in the blank with being in a relationship, feeling represented, not falling into the same temptations, etc. Those things have deeper roots: love, justice, wisdom, joy. Love and justice are particularly longed for these days. And those are all good things, great things in fact. Things that are necessary for our lives.

But I stumbled upon this verse the other day that stopped me in my tracks.

But you must return to your God;
maintain love and justice,
and wait for your God always.
Hosea 12:6

Before we can have love and justice, and pretty much any other necessary aspect of life, we need God first. Until we seek God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we will not feel content with our lives. We’ve been taught that it’s wrong to ache for something greater, but that’s just natural. Listen to that ache, and instead of turning to something temporary, turn to God. God is the only One who can fill that empty place in our lives.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. Once you get that job, relationship, or whatever it is you currently desire, you aren’t going to feel content. You will just move on to the next need. Nothing on Earth can truly satisfy us. But when you place your entire life into God’s hands, no matter what you are going through, you won’t lack anything. And the best part of it is that we can turn to God at any time! We don’t have to wait for someone to approve of us or for the world to reform. God is ready and willing to love you right now. He already does. All He’s waiting for is you to accept His call.

And when you place God at the center of your life instead of worldly goals, there’s no going back. You won’t even want to go back, because you will finally feel that contentment and peace your heart’s been longing for. You know, the really good stuff.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
Matthew 22:37

The Empty Tomb

Happy Easter! He is risen!

Easter is the biggest holiday in the church calendar for many reasons. Our best reason to celebrate is that we are saved through Jesus’ sacrifice. Jesus rising from the dead proved that He is holy and our Savior. Easter is a time for joyous delight.

But what if Easter doesn’t feel joyful this year? What if being stuck at home, living in a world of uncertainty, causes you to feel anything but celebratory today? Does that make you any less of a believer?

Absolutely not.

If you think about it, the women walking up to Jesus’ tomb likely weren’t joyful. They expected to find Jesus’ body in the tomb and be faced with the undeniable truth that their loved one was gone forever. They were full of grief, loneliness, and disappointment. They felt empty inside. They weren’t ashamed to bring their emptiness to Jesus as they approached His tomb.

But imagine their surprise when they were greeted with an empty tomb and an angel telling them unbelievable news! Jesus left an empty tomb behind so that He can fill the emptiness in our hearts. They traded all the feelings that come with emptiness–the grief, sadness, and uncertainty–and were filled with joy that only Jesus can bring.

You may not have all your questions answered today. But you can be filled with the joy that Jesus brings. Trade in your emptiness for Jesus’ love. Joy looks different in every season, but that doesn’t make it any less meaningful or hopeful. Joy is allowing Jesus to make you feel peaceful and hopeful despite all you are going through.

Allow yourself to proclaim “He is risen!” with full confidence that by God’s grace, you have been saved.

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ²And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. ⁵And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here, but has risen.
Luke 24:1-6

Holy Week Series: When God Feels Far Away

Do you feel like God is silent? Are you struggling to believe in His promises for you? Here is some encouragement.

I once heard a pastor refer to Holy Saturday as the day when “everything was quiet”. The only events that are in the Bible that take place on Holy Saturday are the placement of the guards outside Jesus’ tomb, though I’d guess that the disciples are in hiding at this point and there is still a darkness and emptiness throughout the city. To those who loved Jesus, Holy Saturday probably felt like a terrifying, lonely time of confusion. Where was Jesus? How could He have possibly died this way? What does the future hold?

I’ve often wondered why Jesus rose on the third day. I’m sure someone with a Theology degree could explain all the reasons why the number 3 is important in the Bible, but it still puzzles me. Technically, Jesus could’ve been put in the tomb and suddenly sprung back to life on that same day. The Good Friday really would’ve been “good”, right? No waiting around, no anxious thoughts, no loss of hope.

But you know, I think the reason why Jesus waited three days was to test the faith of His followers. Did they believe that He would rise up again like He promised? Would they be waiting for His return? Or would they be disappointed, frustrated, and scared?

For us, knowing that Jesus did rise up again in a matter of mere days gives us hope. We didn’t have to live through those dark days of waiting. We already know that God had something better planned.

But still, we go through our own dark days where it feels like all hope is lost and God is silent. We cry out to God and wonder where He went. We feel abandoned, disappointed, and fearful. We forget about God’s promises.

The last time I felt this way was a few weeks ago. I felt stuck in my life and concerned about the future. I felt like I couldn’t hear God the way I used to. I lost perspective.

I once was given the wise advice that everything God is doing in the present moment is preparing us for the future. When we remember that God has a bigger plan, we don’t lose our hope when we feel alone. During those moments when we can’t hear God, it’s a test. God is testing us to see if we really do believe His promises. God promises to never leave us. God promises that He will make all things new. Do you believe that?

I’ve come to realize that after every dark season in my life, a wonderful, joyful season comes right after it. It’s like God was preparing me to enjoy and make the most of the season ahead by helping me persevere through the tough times.

Waiting feels like a long time for us because we don’t know when it will end. For us, three days is 72 hours. For the disciples, three days felt like eternity. But when we keep perspective during our times of waiting, we won’t lose our hope and faith. Nothing except eternal life with Jesus will last forever. This dark season will end, I promise. God has something wonderful planned for you. You are needed here.

I can’t tell you when the pain will stop or when you will finally be able to fully experience God’s love and grace. I don’t know what exactly will happen that will give you hope. But you can have that hope now by remembering that God always makes good on His promises. You don’t ever have to worry about God’s plan not working out. Trust me, or rather, trust God’s own words. He will always be victorious in the end. And when we are on His side, we will also win every battle against all the forms the enemy takes against us.

May you be filled with God’s strength and patience through every trial you are experiencing. Amen.

13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7

31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.
Deuteronomy 4:31

Holy Week Series: The Pain of Humiliation

How can we learn from Jesus’ example when experiencing humiliating situations?

Today is Good Friday, when Jesus was mocked, flogged, and ultimately killed, events that we should all agree are anything but “good”. There are so many points I could share in this post about Good Friday, but what I’ll focus on today will be the utter humiliation Jesus had to experience before being crucified.

In a study by Psychology Today, they found that when you’re humiliated, “the degree to which your brain is activated is more pronounced than with other emotion-inducing conditions”. I often wonder how much physical pain we’d be willing to endure in order to avoid humiliation. Often during studies of Good Friday, there’s a lot of focus on the physical torturing Jesus experienced. And He went through so many things that no one should experience, not to mention the Son of God! He was flogged, had a crown of thorns put on His head, was struck on the head with a wooden staff, forced to carry a cross that was estimated to have weighed over 300 pounds, hung on a cross with nails pierced into His flesh, and later stabbed in the side with a sword. Even experiencing one of those things would be traumatizing and incredibly painful, yet Jesus endured them all.

But you know what might have hurt even more? Being the most powerful Being in the entire universe, being the Creator of us all, and being spit on, mocked at, striped of clothes, and ultimately feeling the weight of people’s unbelief in who He really is. He died because He is our King, our Messiah. It was out of the “self-interest” or “envy” of His betrayers that He was killed (Matt. 27:18).

And if you think about it, that’s why humiliation exists, huh? If we are envious of someone, we are tempted to put them down in order to feel better about ourselves. Sometimes when we hurt others by humiliating them, it’s because we are putting our needs above theirs. We’d rather get things done quickly, so we don’t phrase things the right way and it stings. We’d rather not deal with the messiness of Christ-centered relationships, so we just dump people. We’d rather think we know everything than admit that someone else is right.

On the flip side, when we are being humiliated, it’s easy for us to get upset at God or others. We don’t believe we deserve the humiliation (and we don’t when others intentionally humiliate us). But still, we can find strength to endure the times when we are humbled through seeing how Jesus responded to being humiliated. And let’s be honest, I highly doubt (and I certainly hope) that any of us will go through what Jesus went through.

Yet, through it all, Jesus was:

Self-controlled

Like He told His disciples, He could’ve sent a legion of angels there to defend Him. He had the power to destroy everyone in a single second. He could’ve revealed the deepest, darkest secrets of the people mocking Him. We might be tempted to take revenge against those who humiliate us, but instead we should follow His example and use self-control.

Silent

Now, I’m not telling you to suffer in silence if someone is hurting you. Please speak up if you are in a bad situation so that you can be helped.

However, if you are in a humbling situation, instead of getting all upset and egging on the people who are humiliating you, try Jesus’ approach of being quiet. Allow yourself to be filled with God’s love and peace instead of anger and discouragement.

Living out “Thy will be done”

Right before Jesus was arrested, He told His Father that while He would rather not suffer through all these painful things, He wanted God’s will to be done. We often pray that same prayer, yet how often do we actually believe it? Aren’t we easily swayed by our own timetables and frustrated when things don’t happen when or how we want them to?

Instead of being fixated on your plan, turn your eyes and heart to God’s plan for your life. Allow your prayer to be sincere and be open to what God wants you to do with your life.

A fact that may encourage you is that while being humiliated causes us to experience many difficult emotions, “the way you feel is a direct function of the way you think” (Psychology Today). Jesus was able to endure all those terrible things because He knew who He was (and is!). He’s Jesus, the One who will rise up again in three days, the One who will defeat the Enemy. When we remember who we are, when we find our worth in who God says we are rather than who the world defines us as, the affects of humiliation will be learning from our mistakes and solidifying who we are in Christ rather than pain, grief, or discouragement.

Today, thank Jesus for all the hardships He endured to save you. He loves you so much. When you are in humiliating situations, remember Jesus’ love for you and don’t take those harsh words of others to heart.

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 36:7

9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:9-10