Some moments in life surprise us, and not in a good way.
There are moments that catch us off guard and seem to demand more than what we have. Moments that are caustic and send us reeling. There’s very little doubt that Jesus’ followers felt this way as they watched Him being crucified on a cross. Only hours earlier the disciples had fled, abandoning their friend and leader as He was led away by armed guards. They were taken by surprise even though Jesus had warned them of what was about to happen.
We could view their response as strange if it weren’t for the fact that we do the same thing.
“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
When our finances are stretched thin, or a loved one receives bad news, we’re sent reeling, frantically searching for where God has hidden His goodness.
During these times, before doubt opens the way for worry, anxiety, and fear, it’s worth the effort to open our Bibles and take note of Jesus’ confident response.
“He knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me. Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.’” (Luke 22:41–42)
In what many saw as His darkest hour, we see peace, faith, and trust in the Father and His divine plan.
“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:7–8)
And in a moment when all looked as if it had gone from bad to worse to impossibly wrong, we find Jesus confidently submitting, blessing, and giving. We see the truth of what had been planned and fulfilled in love. Even more, we see the loving, confident relationship between Father and Son.
“For He was teaching His disciples, saying, ‘The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. After He is killed, He will rise the third day.’” (Mark 8:31)
The faith Jesus has in His Father is His gift to us, the gift of knowing that regardless of how challenging situations may be what the Lord says in Isaiah 55 is true: “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there. . . So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10–11).
Jesus knew firsthand the power of His Father. He was aware of His ability, strength, and sovereign track record to bring beauty out of what seems like irreversible chaos. Jesus was able to leave His life in the Father’s capable hands and echo the words of the Psalmist—“into Your hands I commit My spirit.” (Luke 23:46, Psalm 31:5)—and we can do the same.
Instead of ignoring the problem, avoiding the situation, or forcing ourselves to just grit our teeth and bear it, we can rejoice in the God who not only loves His children but takes care of them. And when things look impossible, we can meditate on how His character can take what many see as a dark hour and use it to show forth His brilliance and exceedingly great power. We can remember and reflect on the truth of how God is able to turn situations around because of who He is.
Our God is undefeated. He is victorious in all circumstances. In fact, there has never been a time He has failed to follow through on His word or fallen short. When His children were standing between an irate leader bent on vengeance and the Red Sea, the Lord made a way for them to escape safely. When His people were scheduled to be massacred by a political leader with great influence, the Lord completely reversed that plan and ensured victory for His people. When His Son was hanging on a cross, the Lord used that one sacrifice to completely destroy the hold of sin over the human race and vindicate His Son, giving Him the place of highest honor.
If it had been up to us to simultaneously ensure the defeat of sin and the victory of Christ, we probably wouldn’t have chosen the cross. And if we wanted the gospel to be spread to all the world, we probably wouldn’t have chosen the twelve disciples, people who were steeped in sin and sinful lifestyles, or Paul, a murderer who was persecuting Christians. God knows what He’s doing. He also knows that His ways are very different from ours, which is why our loving Father reassures us that the way He chooses to do things is very different from ours. (Isaiah 55:8–9) He doesn’t want us to worry or be in fear when He uses the weak things of this world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27).
This may seem like an obvious point, but the truth that God is God—the One with all power and authority. But we must first realize and accept that this great, mighty God we serve is a Father who loves us greatly, enjoys us and wants us to be successful and have great lives in which we enjoy our relationship with Him. The fact that He likes us is enough to keep us free from worry, fear, and anxiety. The One who owns all things wants to use His knowledge, power, and resources to make you great like His Son.
The Creator who spoke the heavens into being has spoken over your life long before He created you. Throughout the Bible, we’re reminded of the plans the Lord has made for us even before we entered the earth. Even when the enemy is working against us, God is able to take all things and use them to produce good (Romans 8:28). God has the final say over our lives now and after we die. He has the final word about the enemy’s future (Revelation 20:10). He determines rulers, the destiny of nations, and the future of every living thing which He sustains.
In what seems like our deepest, darkest moments God is still God, inviting us to see Him as our Father who prevails in every situation. He does not disappoint us. He never falls short. This God of ours is the only One who could have taken something as scandalous as the crucifixion of a holy pure God and changed the reality of humanity. What God accomplished through the crucifixion and resurrection were not one-time events, but the way He works through our everyday. He is faithful and He will be faithful to you.
