Do you want to jump ahead to Easter Sunday and pass over the suffering Jesus endured? It is hard to pause in the grief and physical anguish the Lord’s Son suffered as He neared His imminent death. Will you linger in Christ’s pain and ponder the gift of grace with me?
The Disciples Scattered
I often wonder why the disciples wouldn’t stay with Jesus in His pain. First, Christ asked them to sit with Him in the garden, and they slept.
“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” He said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” (Mark 14: 34)
Read the entire Garden of Gethsemane story here at Mark 14: 32-42
I find myself confused because He had often explained to the disciples what would take place. It should not have been an unexpected outcome, yet where were they?
Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult Him and spit on Him; they will flog Him and kill Him. On the third day, He will rise again.” (Luke 18:31-33)
Why did the disciples scatter? Did they not have enough faith? Was it too painful? Did fear take over?
Furthermore, this brings me to an important question— “Would I have scattered too?” What about you—would you have remained loyal to the bitter end?
Will you remain in the pain of the cross long enough to hurt and grasp its value? #pain #cross #Jesus Click To TweetWhy Don’t We Linger in Jesus’s Pain?
It Is Painful
Commonly, we as humans try hard to avoid anything that hurts. Jesus was in such pain, which shows us how human He was. He had to endure mocking, denial, rejection, and then death. However, alienation from God to take on our sins hurts the most.
He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Isaiah 53:3
We Feel Unworthy
It is hard to imagine we are worthy enough that Christ would die for us. Yet, He chose us, and it cost him dearly.
We wonder, Couldn’t God Have Done It Differently?
However, we are not God, and we must wait to get these questions answered.
What reason do you have for not lingering in Christ’s pain?
The Value of Lingering in the Pain of the Cross
Understanding Brings Clarity
When we understand Jesus’s suffering, we can grasp how valuable we are and how much He loves us. When we see His human sorrow, we realize He relates to our pain and will weep with us.
His sacrifice made us acceptable and forgiven. No matter how hard we try on our own, we can’t do it without Him. Jesus made it possible to attain eternal life.
We Begin to Comprehend the Gift of Grace
Although grace is a gift to us, Jesus paid dearly.
Knowing He Never Gives Up on Us
We see He will never give up on us. Even after his disciples turned from Him, Jesus never gave up on them.
A Deeper Relationship
Grief can pull us into an intimate relationship with Christ. Have you ever noticed that it brings you closer when you walk through the pain with another?
We Feel God’s Love
Wow! God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. Sit here momentarily and join me in amazement at how much God loves us. Imagine the pain God endured watching His one and only Son suffer.
For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The Joy is Richer Than the Pain
The joy is more intense, vibrant, and marvelous when we linger in His pain.
Will you step with me this week and beyond to linger in Jesus’s pain for a little while so we can grasp what Easter means? #Easter Click To TweetI often wonder if the disciples could return and relive those moments in the garden and at the cross, would they have remained with Jesus? Of course, they can’t go back, nor can we, but we can stand with Jesus in other people’s grief here on earth. Yes, it will hurt, but the joy will come and be worth it.
...... “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54)
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13)
What do you discover about grace when you linger in Christ’s pain?
Oh, how we scatter at the mere thought of pain—or even inconvenience!
So true. Michele, and yet Jesus is such a great example. Happy Easter! Maree
I’m so grateful we had the example of Jesus never giving up on his followers so we can feel assured he will never give up on us either! Thanks for sharing this, Maree.
What beautiful words to carry with me today—”we can feel assured he will never give up on us either!” Thank you for adding your thoughts. They are appreciated. Maree
Maree, that He’d suffer such pain for me is more than I can comprehend. As Romans 5 puts it, one would hardly die for a good person, yet Jesus died for us while we were His enemies! What amazing grace.
Oh, Debbie, I agree with your words, Christ’s suffering is so astounding it is hard to comprehend. Amazing grace it is. Maree
You highlight several truths, Maree, “Grief can pull us into an intimate relationship with Christ” and “The joy is more intense, vibrant, and marvelous when we linger in His pain.” But then you turn us from Christ-reflection and self-reflection to other-reflection, “We have an opportunity here on earth to stand with Jesus in other people’s grief.” Christ leads us to recognize Who He is, who we are, and Who He is through us to other people.
Lisa, Thank you for your observations. I think it is so important to stand with others in their grief; after all, Jesus would do that. However, it is hard to sit in another’s pain. We tend to try to make it better or wipe it away. I’m so guilty of trying to push people on, but what a gift it is to have someone sit with us in our pain. Blessings to you, Maree
I imagine Mary and John and others who stayed and the agony they must have felt, watching, not being able to do anything else. Though we squirm, ache, weep, and want to run–we need to linger at the cross.
Yes, Barbara, it had to be agony to watch Jesus in such pain. It is so hard to watch those we love suffer. Yet, what a gift when others sit with us in our hurt. Blessings, Maree
I’d like to think I’d have stayed but probably not – because of fear. However, this year I’ve found myself lingering and dwelling on His pain and sacrifice even before I read your post – maybe I’m getting older and wiser or maybe it’s because of the events of the past year. Whatever the reason, I find my heart drawn to linger in His pain and revel in the intense joy He died to give to me. Wonderful post and thought-provoking, thank you for sharing.
Wemi, Your words are beautiful. They brought a huge smile to my heart and face, especially the intense joy we have in Jesus. It is simply amazing He died for us. Happy Easter! Maree
This is beautiful, Maree. I made my husband and daughter watch the crucifixion episode of The Bible series just for this reason. I purposely expose myself to the horror of the cross because it fills me with gratitude and love for Him
Valerie,
I am right there with you. To think Jesus would do this for us is mindblowing, and it does fill me with gratitude and love too. Maree
I would always like to believe I would have stayed with Him, but the truth is I’m pretty cowardly and selfish.
Lauren,
I think we all are selfish and cowards to some degree. It is one of the reasons we need Jesus. Happy Easter! Maree
You ask a very challenging question. Do you remain in the pain of the cross long enough?? This is such a good question. I think it is a good question to ask ourselves anytime we face a difficult situation. Thank you for the challenge and the reasons why lingering in the pain is worthwhile.
Yes, Mary, that is a great question to ask when facing difficulties. Thank you! I am hoping to spend some time this week lingering in the pain of the cross. I hope you have a wonderful week as we head to the cross and resurrection. Blessings, Maree
Poignant post Maree & thought provoking! And He was willing to go through that for us!
What love!
Remembering that pain is for the moment but the glory that came after brings eternal hope to us all…
Blessings,
Jennifer
You have me smiling this evening thinking about our eternal hope. Thank you! Maree
Maree!! Oh this conveys the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus so powerfully!! We absolutely need to fully soak in what He went through for us!! His willingness, His love and He endured the pain for US!! He gave us the opportunity to choose to accept His righteousness through accepting Him through the cross!! I’ve been blessed by reading your post! #destinationinspiration linkup
Thank you for this incredible reminder to just linger! You don’t know how much I needed to read this today!!
Diane – I am so glad this spoke to your heart. Your post from last week spoke to mine. I am headed over there to leave you another message. Blessings, Maree
I am totally convinced we must touch His pain before we can touch His peace. To have someone on purpose suffer so much and die for me was what won my heart. The fear of hell did not touch me like the sacrificial death of Jesus. I stopped questioning and looking for that kind of love when I understood divine love. To know someone loves me so much is my joy in getting up in the morning, the joy of closing my eyes a night, the joy inside the hardest trials in my life, He loves me, He loves and He proved it on Calvary. Beautiful post.
I am so glad you stopped by to read a leave a comment. Your words are washing over me, and I am feeling God’s, great love. Thank you – Maree
Maree, there is lots of wisdom here. Thank you. There is much to be learned inside pain and much glory to God when He carries us through it. Thank you for reminding us to focus on and linger in what Jesus really did for us.
Leslie, Yes, I agree we can learn so much from pain as God carries us through. Of course, we have to be willing. Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Maree
I read a great book a few years back called The Hidden Half of the Gospel that emphasized that yes, Jesus came to earth to pay the penalty for our sins, but just as importantly, he came to experience everything that we as humans would experience–so that we could relate to someone who knew our pain. Excellent book!
Anita, Thank you for sharing the book. It sounds fabulous. Blessings, Maree
Thank you, Maree Dee, for such a rich and beautiful devotion. I’ve thought a lot about lingering in pain with others. Sometimes, we move on, thinking enough time has passed, thinking they should be well on their way to healing, but sometimes we need to linger longer… as long as it takes really. As long as it takes for morning to come. And it will come… This lingering is hard and messy, but as you’ve so beautifully shared there’s so much to gain from lingering. May Jesus be glorified as we linger. Blessed Easter to you, my friend!
Carlie – Thank you for your beautiful comment and wise words. We all need to be reminded from time to time to linger a bit in others pain. Your comment brought someone to mind. So many times we look at Facebook and it seems as if the person is doing well and moving on but underneath it, all pain may remain and they might need a friend. Best to let them answer the question instead of making assumptions. Hope you had a wonderful Easter. Maree
Thank you, Maree Dee, for reminding me to linger. Have a Blessed Easter.
Krista, Thank you! Wishing you and your family a wonderful day celebrating Easter. Maree
What an interesting question? If it were me, I think I would be beating myself up a bit about why I didn’t stay with Him. It seems that’s a pretty natural thing to do. But as you said, it should remind us to stay in the moment with others because we can’t go back once the time has passed.
Donna, I have always been so frustrated with the Disciples, but then I got to thinking would I have done any better? I am not sure. We forget in the moment we don’t have the full picture, only God does. Happy Easter! Maree
Yes, Maree, I come from a tradition where we used to walk into the church building on Easter Sunday morning and rejoice in resurrection without once ever having sat in the darkness of the tomb. Thank you for this moment of reflection on all that it cost Jesus to buy our freedom.
Michele, You are so welcome. I know it helps me to reflect on the cross and Christ’s suffering to fully grasp his resurrection. Happy Easter! Blessings, Maree
As I was reading this post, Maree, I see how closely the Lord was leading our thoughts and reflections in what each of us wrote. You’re right, they were similar and the themes were very connected. This was so well worded. Thanks you!
Pam – It never ceases to amaze me how God works in his leading. Loved your post too. Happy Easter! Maree
Would we have remained with Him throughout it all? That is a hard question! Of course, I’d like to think I would have, but do we really know? I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for the disciples to watch him be rejected, betrayed, tortured- and He was innocent no less!
Such a beautiful and timely post, Maree!
Pinning today!
Rachel, Thank you for your encouraging comment. Yes, a hard question to answer. May sound silly, but I thank God many times for the period I was born. Believing has not been a struggle with all the evidence we have at our disposal. I can’t imagine watching Jesus suffer. I struggle with it now. Maree
Maree Dee, this touched me to the core this week. I have thought about His pain but to linger in it is hard to fathom. It really illustrates His deep love for us all. Thanks for sharing on the #LMMLinkup.
Mary, I love it that my post touched you to the core. What an encouragement. But of course, we know it was God all along that reached you. His love is so amazing! Thank you for hosting #LMML Linkup.
Happy Easter! Maree
Oh yes, I know that lingering in the pain is not something that comes naturally to us; in fact it feels so foreign to us. It’s similar to how soon a mother “forgets” the depth of the pain of labor and childbirth. We want OUT of the pain. But Jesus willingly lingered there. Oh may I join Him in that surrender and embrace. Thank you for these beautiful thoughts.
Bettie, Yes, what a great example – childbirth. Joy does come. May you have a wonderful weekend celebrating and remembering Jesus. Blessings, Maree
Visiting from Tune in Thursday. Lingering in the pain is not comfortable or easy, but as you have shared there are many important benefits in doing so. There is a great depth of intimacy that grows and that is so precious. How blessed we are that our Lord always remains with us in all we go through. May He give us loving compassion and strength to do the same. Thank you for this beautiful post.
Cheryl, I love your words “depth of intimacy.” I am so glad you stopped by to read and leave a comment. Happy Easter! Maree
It is so true that we want to get away from pain or even pretend it isn’t there. Lingering seems so strange, but it is necessary. Love your words here!
Sarah, Yes, it is necessary. Wishing you and your family a wonderful Easter. Blessings, Maree
Our culture teaches us to avoid and escape pain at all costs. Appreciate the reminder to linger and experience it within the loving arms of Jesus. Without walking through pain, we can’t process it and we can’t see God IN it and what He is changing in is and revealing to us. Such comfort in knowing Jesus suffered and is the Man of Sorrows and isn’t a God who has not suffered. He suffered FOR and with us.
Yes, God understands our pain because he suffered too. Pretty amazing!Thank you for stopping by and leaving such an insightful comment.Happy Easter! Maree
I will pause with you and take it all in! Thank You Jesus for what You have done for us! ❤
Amen! Glad to have company. Blessings, Maree
Maree, “Good” Friday is the holiest day of the year (for me). I will linger with you. I will hear the hammers strike the crossbeam. I will taste the salt and blood. I will feel the sorrow and pain. Sonday morning is for celebration. Friday afternoon is for remembering. Good post. xo
Good to know I will not be alone. I will listen for the hammer too. Thank you for stopping by. Happy Easter! Maree