purpose and the cross...

There are two things that have come up so much within the last week that it is undeniable that I found myself in the midst of learning another lesson.

The two things are my purpose and the cross.

I can safely say that our purpose in life is to 

love others and reach out to the lost and bringing them to the One that loves them unconditionally.  

The way we do that is different.  Some pastors, missionaries, teachers, social workers, businessmen...

Jesus had a purpose to come to Earth and be our Savior.  He did that by picking up His cross and fulfilling His purpose.  He calls us to do the same, "And He was saying to them all, If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." (Luke 9:23)

 

Daily we are to pick up our cross.  I think we fail to remember that sometimes the load will get heavy.  That we may not be able to bear it.  We may want to give up and stop fighting the fight.  It is in those times that we can not forget that we are not alone.  God is with us feeling every emotion that we are going through.  He also gives us friends to share the load.  They help us to keep fighting this fight.  Sometimes they are just encouraging us and at other times they are carrying us because we have the the will and the strength to continue.

At the moment I feel as though I am carrying my cross uphill while I am being kicked, pushed, and yelled at.  As I look around I see that they are not just doing that to me, but also to Jesus who has yet to leave my side and in reality is carrying more than I am.  So what do I say to myself at this moment, "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.",  "No pit is so deep that God's love is not deeper still.", and "If God has shown us bad times ahead, it's enough for me that He knows about them. That's why He sometimes shows us things, you know - to tell us that this too is in His hands."

This does not take away the problems nor does it make it disappear, but it does make it easier.  I may never why, but I do know for Who and that, at the end, is all I need.