The cross is a central thing to Christians. We wear them, hang them on church walls, and reflect on them, particularly at Easter. But how often do we stop and think about what the cross actually symbolises? Firstly, it symbolises faith. Dying on the cross was a horrific experience for Jesus, but He remained faithful to God. He trusted God enough to walk through this plan, even though He knew He would suffer. When He was praying in Gethsemane before He was arrested, He asked God to take away the suffering. ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me’ (Matthew 26:39 NIV). But He didn’t stop there. He went on to say: ‘If it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done’ (Matthew 26:42 NIV). His trust in His Father was so strong that He knew God’s way was the best way. Sometimes we walk through things in life that we wish we didn’t have to. We have to face grief, illness, broken hearts, conflict, loneliness, and so much more. But we can follow Jesus’ example and remain faithful to God in those times. We can have faith that He will come through for us, and help us reach the other side of our situations. It’s okay for us to cry out to God, and ask Him to take the situation away. But, we also need to be prepared to keep trusting Him if He doesn’t. Jesus once said: ‘"You don't understand now what I am doing, but someday you will’ (John 13:7 NLT). We may not understand why something is happening in our lives, but we can keep trusting in the goodness of God.

What Now?

When you have your first drink of the day, hand your day over to God. Ask Him to help you follow His plans for your life, even when it’s tough.