John 17:1
1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. KJV
Our text opens up near the end of Jesus’ physical earthly ministry and at this point in the scripture his ministry is drawing to a close. His hour had come – the hour “hour of his suffering”. Many of us today are having a hard time with life in general. We’re finding it difficult to deal with the various challenges life throws our way. Anybody remember Covid? How about political and social unrest? Those are just a few. I’m sure you can think of more.
To the Saints of God, struggling and suffering are not new concepts as we tend to learn very early that everybody has or will have an hour of suffering. Do we like it? No. Do we want it? No. But it “is what it is” as they say. We may not like or want it, but we must remember that the Lord has prepared us for this hour. Do you remember what he spoke through the Apostle in 2 Tim 3:1?
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. KJV
If you take the description of the “last days” as provided to us by Jesus and his Holy Apostles, it doesn’t take much to see that we are living in the “last days” right now! Scripture calls these last days “perilous times”. The Greek word for perilous is only used twice in the Scriptures but take a look at what it means:
Transliterated Word: Chalepos
Phonetic Spelling: khal-ep-os’ Adjective
Definition:
hard to do, to take, to approach
hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous
harsh, fierce, savage
With our new understanding of what perilous means, it becomes even easier to understand why there will be, from time to time, hours of suffering. Suffering for any reason is not fun. In addition, it’s something we won’t be able to completely avoid because suffering is a matter of “when”, not a matter of “if”. The end result of this is that truly it comes down to how we suffer or endure hardships when our hour comes. The suffering and hardship that Jesus was going to endure was by no means a pretty sight. Yet for Jesus it wasn’t the hardship he was looking at – it was JOY. It is true that Jesus came to suffer on our behalf and in our stead, but according to Hebrews Jesus endured suffering with JOY. We saw it as suffering but Jesus saw it as JOY.
Heb 12:2
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. KJV
This means Jesus had a different perception of things than we do! There is VICTORY to be had, even in suffering, but to experience it, we need to begin to see things the way Jesus saw them. This happens when we get the mind of Christ.
Phil 2:4
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. KJV
When we get the mind of Christ a few things begin to happen:
- Our perception starts to match his
- Things we viewed as an obstacles we’re able to see as opportunities
- We begin to see the joy in things that at first appear to have none!
James 1:2-3
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. KJV
2 Tim 2:3
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. KJV
May this wisdom from God bless and keep you always!