Today is the 33rd day of Lent, a 40 day season of spiritual reflection, repentance, and renewal. During these 40 days we’ll explore the prayer life of Jesus, walking chronologically through every mention of Jesus’ prayer life and prayers in the Gospels.
Here is today’s prayer event: 30When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit (Jn. 19:30 ESV).
It seems that pain is a necessary part of God’s plan. It appears that God’s Story does not turn its pages without requiring suffering. But it is always a temporary pain. It is never a forever pain. Never is that clearer than here on the cross. Jesus is able to confidently pray to the Father, “It is finished.” Through prayer, Jesus is able to assert that his own pain is temporary and that the Father has completed what he needed through that pain.
The challenging truth is that God uses pain and suffering. There are some things that God must do in us or through us that will not happen without discomfort. The comforting truth, however, is that God stops pain and suffering. Whenever we enter into a season of despair, we can confidently believe that the moment will come when we can say with Jesus, “It is finished.”
Are you in the midst of a time of darkness? Pray to God: “Father, I trust that at the proper time, when you’ve done all you’ve needed, this darkness will be finished.” Have you recently come through a time of hurt? Pray to God: “Father, I thank you that all you needed from that time has been finished.” Do you know someone who is overcome by pain? Intercede for him/ her today: “Father, let my friend know that this pain will come to an end.”
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Today I am praying for my friend Erich.
This speaks to me for I have just come out of the other side of a LONG tunnel. I now can see how God uses the “darkness” to mold, shape and even motivate us to do what we know we should be doing, and go where we know we need to be going. I cannot confidently say “It is finished” yet, for I believe God may choose to mold and shape or motivate me some more in the future. But I can say I feel I have a greater understanding of His will and direction for my life and I feel I have an even greater understanding of how and for what I should pray.
Kevin, I appreciate your sharing. I will be praying for you as God opens your eyes to His will.
My response: This thought can easily apply to this season of Lent. We are “almost finished”, almost done with whatever sacrifices we have made, at least, and are heading into the most challenging week. If we allow Him to, God can use us and mold us through this time, but it definitely isn’t easy. I don’t know if I would call it suffering, exactly, although it depends on what God is challenging you with. I know we touched on the idea of Satan before, and I understand that not everyone has the same understanding as I do, but in my experience, during the times when I am opening myself the most to listen to God’s will, those are the times when I wage the most fierce spiritual battles. If Satan isn’t “real”, then this makes no sense. All that praying, studying scripture, fasting, and other spiritual disciplines should give me a direct line to God without any obstacles, if evil is just “out there”. That, however, has not been my experience. In my experience, during times such as Lent, when I am focusing more on God and less on self and the world around me, that is when I am tempted the most. This is so threatening to Satan; he would much rather I ignore him and pretend he isn’t there, and he wants us to believe that all the bad in the world can be traced to our own depravity and bad choices. I reject that idea; I refuse to accept that the truly horrific temptations I face come from myself. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
Yes, I am a sinner and I have made more than my share of bad decisions when I have fallen to temptation. But the temptation itself comes from somewhere else. Was Jesus tempted because he had inherent evil that was trying to surface? No. And I believe it is the same with us. I also believe that after a time of giving in to temptation, we do become depraved in that area and no longer have a choice, which Paul makes clear (although I cannot remember the passage; help me out if you can!).
The scriptures make it clear that we can expect suffering as followers of Christ, but there are also so many places of hope and rejoicing, even in the suffering. For example, 1 Peter 4:13 says, “but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exulation”. And one of my favorite passages in the Bible, from Psalm 30: “Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.” This is also the Psalm where we get one of my favorite songs, “You have turned my mourning into dancing.” So true, but we must persevere! Don’t despair, for as Jesus said, “In this world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33)
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