When Life Seems More than You Can Handle

Just days before He was crucified, Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (John 12:23).

Glorified? That’s hardly the word I would have used! Jesus was about to undergo terrible suffering! Did He know He would have thorns on His head and a lash on His back? Did He know that there would be a cross and nails and a spear?

Yes, He knew that agony faced Him. But He also knew that joy was ahead! He knew that three days after His crucifixion He would leave that cold, dark tomb and rise from the dead. He knew that some day He would present to His Father those whom He had redeemed from sin. He knew that on that glorious day “ten thousand times ten thousand” angels would circle the throne of God and sing: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12).

In all His suffering, Jesus kept an amazing sense of perspective. The writer of Hebrews says that for the “joy set before him” Jesus endured the cross. But that’s the difference between Jesus and us. Jesus focused on the ultimate result rather than the painful process. Too often we hurt so badly that all we can think of is stopping the pain.

The Bible tells us how we can make it through the suffering that life being. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,” says the writer of Hebrews: “consider him who endured such opposition, … so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

You may be standing at the foot of a Mt. Everest-size problem. Or maybe all you can see is the mud under your feet. Don’t grow weary and lose heart! When life seems more than you can handle, focus on Jesus and see by faith the victorious outcome that is yet to be.