“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” — 1 Peter 2:23
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How do you handle tough times? Jesus told us that we’d have “trouble” in this world (John 16:33). But in His next breath, He promised peace and victory in Him. When tough times come, some people blame others, offer excuses, pout, isolate themselves, or take another negative approach. Jesus’ words and example on the cross teach His followers to trust in our Heavenly Father.
Isaiah 53:3 (ESV) foretells that Jesus will be a “man of sorrows” and one who is “acquainted with grief” when specifically looking forward to His sacrifice on the cross. It is worth noting that the same verse speaks of the abandonment of Jesus by others around Him. He was rejected and people hid their faces from Him.
Suffering is tough. It is magnified when someone has to go through it alone. Let’s be careful to remember and come alongside those going through tough times. As we read in 1 Corinthians 12:26, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”
The Old Testament’s Book of Job records the story of a man trying to process the suffering he endured. In his final words (Job 42:1-6), he offers some practical counsel through suffering: Remember that God can do anything, realize that we won’t understand everything, and rejoice that we can learn more about God.
— Jeff Totten, Detroit Tigers chaplain
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