Ultimately, the suffering and death of Jesus reveals that Satan does not have the final say on death. Rather, God has the last word. Do not pass over Jesus’ suffering too quickly for the sake of the resurrection. Certainly, the church serves a living Savior and we revel in resurrection life, but we rob ourselves of God’s means of coping with heartache, pain and death when we skim past Jesus’ suffering and death. His suffering and death gives us the strength to trust a good, powerful God from the first moment of our life until our last breath. There is no phase of life or challenge where God is missing. Even if God is silent, he remains present and partnered with us.
God is not obligated to explain every situation, but the suffering and death of Jesus promises his presence in the midst of every situation. Sometimes we see how God redeems our suffering for good, but sometimes we do not. Regardless, knowing and experiencing God’s presence offers a more powerful comfort than simply knowing the outcome or reasons for suffering.
By pausing to reflect on the suffering and death of Jesus, we begin to grasp Paul’s words in Colossians 3:3. Truly, we have died and our life is hidden in Christ with God (Colossians 3:3).
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