Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. … Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. Matthew 16:24-26, The Message
by Sara Larson
What is it that we really want? Most people say happiness, and many spend their whole lives chasing it. But true joy comes from a place of total surrender.
When Jesus tells Peter and the other disciples that he, Jesus, will die, Peter says, “No way.” He believes he can do something to prevent Jesus’ death. Jesus cuts him off saying, “Satan, get lost. You have no idea how God works.”
A slap of reality
Minutes before, Jesus was praising Peter for being “a rock.” Peter got a slap of reality, like we all do sometimes. He was shocked and heartbroken. Jesus explained to his disciples that none of us can control our destiny. Although Jesus could have gotten himself out of the mess of dying on the cross, he knew he must suffer.
Suffering is painful, but necessary, to get to a place of healing. If you haven’t suffered, you haven’t lived. Like Jesus, we need to learn to embrace our suffering, not run from it.
Suffering is a way to find your true self. To understand who your true self is you must start digging, and there is no better place to start than when you are lying face down on the ground.
You’re not in the driver’s seat
I love The Message’s version of this text. Eugene Peterson’s interpretation of what Jesus says, “You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am.” To be a disciple–which is what God is calling all of us to be–means we must follow, not lead.
We can’t stand in the way of God’s plan for us or we will just mess it up!
We must deny ourselves absolutely. We can’t try to fix everything on our own. Lent is a time to reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made for us. We must learn that we have to give to receive. Jesus’ death gives us direction and encouragement in our own suffering.
God is our electricity
A spiritual author I admire says that suffering gives us an opportunity to be empty and when we are empty, we’re with God. I’ve heard it explained that we are a like a light bulb: All the parts are there, but we’re of no use unless the electricity is turned on.
God is our electricity. God gives us purpose. When ashes were placed on your forehead a few weeks ago, you heard, “You are ashes, and to ashes you shall return.”
But thanks to Jesus’ dying on the cross and being raised up three days later, our souls will live eternally. To be a follower, a disciple of Christ, we must die to ourselves and go to a place of total surrender with God. For it is our faith that gets us through the suffering.
Sara Larson, a member of First Lutheran Church, Marshall, Minn., is serving her first term on the Women of the ELCA executive board.