Have you ever owned something that brought you grief? Maybe it was a shirt that looked cute, but was always getting stained or wrinkled. Maybe it was a coffeemaker that made the best lattes, but was always breaking down and needed constant attention. Maybe you owned a pair of shoes you absolutely loved, but everyone around you made negative comments about them and they hurt your feet just a bit.
In each of those situations, you’d probably be asking yourself if the struggle was worth it. If the good of owning those items was worth the stress or insecurity or mental load that came along with them. You may begin to wear the shirt and shoes less and less, maybe look for a coffeemaker that would actually work. Ultimately, you may even give those items away.
What about a pet that constantly bit you, or was well on their way to destroying everything in your house? If an animal was always fighting against you and wanted to get away from you, would you work to keep that pet around, or would you consider finding a different home for them?
If we have the option of removing ourselves from the trial, if we have the option of disconnecting ourselves from the stressor, we often do. It’s counterintuitive to suffer intentionally. We don’t fight to keep what makes us cry or struggle to breathe.
Yet Christ did. For a world that was ungrateful, for a world that rejected Him, He endured abuse, death, and Hell. He fought hard and willingly suffered, so that we might not be separated from Him. To keep us, His creation, in His life, He was beaten and tortured and endured separation from the Father. This was in the midst of our rejection.
Many things that cause us an inconvenience or emotional weight can be discarded and forgotten. We can leave stressful jobs, we can remove ourselves from toxic relationships, and we can get rid of possessions that don’t bring us joy.
Though His disciples denied knowing Him, though the Jewish people rallied for His crucifixion, though Judas betrayed Him, He suffered to keep them. He suffered that they might be His. For every person who will ever live that chooses to discount Him, dismiss Him, and mock Him, He willingly suffered that they might be His. Even those that do choose Him, the church caused Him grief as He bore the weight of our sins.
Jesus loves us so much that He suffered just to keep us. Even though we sent Him to Hell with our sins, He has never once rejected us or set us aside, deciding it would be easier without us in His life.
May His choice to suffer for our sake give us the strength to believe in His everlasting love.
