Being uncomfortable or the lack of all the comforts you take for granted on a daily basis is the starting point of what I am about to write. The comforts we have all grown accustomed to and we expect without even thinking about it. The same comforts that if one is lacking we are in shock and can’t believe someone hasn’t fixed or replaced that comfort. As an American I know many of our comforts that we expect, those cushions that are soft, the toilets that are clean, the car that starts and stops, the faucet that runs water hot or cold on our command. These are the things that we have grown to expect even to the point of demanding, yet so many in this world have not even experienced many of our standard comforts.
Now look at the cross. Jesus said to: “take up his cross and follow me” *(Matt 16:24) What did He mean?
When I think of the cross, I think of the complete opposite of comforts. There is no comfort with the whippings Jesus received before, the mental anguish of how he was treated, disdained and mocked. The thorns pushed into His head, the pushing, the prodding, the lack of energy and strength as blood already was being lost. Then the cross, the hard wood pushed into His already torn flesh, the nails piercing, the pain of holding Himself up with a nail through His feet and His hands as He was probably alternating His weight from one to the other. Christ had no comfort on the cross, no air conditioning, no pampering, no rest, nothing. He gave up all His comfort for us!
I am realizing how little I understood the notion of Christ’s suffering, how much He gave up for us. Could you imagine the comfort Our Lord has in heaven? His comfort is so much more than ours and He gave that up. He lived as a human with all the human frailty we all have, yet was God, creator, perfect and Holy. His humanly body was able to be beaten, feel pain and bleed to death. He left all His comfort. Who am I to say I cannot do something for Him because of how uncomfortable I might be. How thankful I am for every little comfort I enjoy each day.
So next time you feel uncomfortable and are thinking that this can’t be God’s will, remember what comforts He gave up for you and praise Him.
