"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus..." — Philippians 2.5
Jesus was born to suffer & die. His wouldn’t be a particularly easy or even “happy” life. Many people used Him while being extremely ungrateful. He didn’t always get to have a break when He wanted one. He was misunderstood more often than not. His life wasn’t fair, at all. He literally faced discouragement at every turn.
And we’re called to be like Him, to follow in His steps, to suffer & die like He did (not necessarily including physical death, but possibly even that too).
“That I may know [Jesus] and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own” (Philippians 3:10-12, ESV).
We have the awesome privilege of suffering with Jesus, even unto death. Before my accident, these were some of my very favorite verses! I used to love meditating on them, and I longed to live these verses out - although I had literally no idea what that might mean, and the past several years have been far more than I bargained for while not immediately jumping out at me as one fulfillment of these verses in my life.
Then today while folding laundry and rocking my seven-month-old to sleep and pondering last night’s discussion with our connect group from church and trying to view my life’s sufferings through the lens of opportunities to fellowship with our suffering Savior, it hit me. Wham! God has not only given me many, many opportunities to fellowship with Him in His suffering - but He has also given me the opportunity to fellowship with Him in His death!
I know, I know, my brief death (at the scene of my 2012 car wreck, before the ambulance crew resuscitated me) wasn’t anywhere close to the beautifully glorious and full-of-purpose Cross of Christ. My death was nothing spectacular. And yet, it’s still true that God has graciously allowed me to share both in His suffering AND IN HIS DEATH during my earthly lifetime! How many people can say that?! It’s an honor and a privilege.
God, please help me remember the great Christian call to suffer & die with You the next time something doesn’t go my way!
