HOW TO LIVE THROUGH A “BAD” DAY!
Jesus’ seven statements are an encouragement to those of us who are answering His call to discipleship and “the fellowship of His sufferings”
(Philippians 3:10-11), “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”
The main reason that EVERY year, Christian churches celebrate “GOOD FRIDAY” is that the teachings that come from the ‘Last Seven Sayings’ of our Lord are to draw out ‘DAY-TO-DAY’ Applications on how to COPE and how to HOPE … in other words, ‘HOW TO DRAW HOPE FOR A HOPELESS DAY.’
The Bible says in Hebrews 12:2, We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joyawaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
“[Saints] we now realize that “BAD DAY” that took place on Calvary’s Cross became a “GOOD DAY” for Believers; because it was a message to Believers to live by!
Because of the physical agony of crucifixion, Christ spoke only with great difficulty during His final hours on the cross. But He remained in control.
[Note: No one Gospel records ALL 7 sayings]
1. Forgive everyone who’s trying to ruin your life.
“Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
As He hung on the cross, Christ issued a plea for mercy on behalf of His tormentors. Luke records that shortly after the cross was raised on Calvary—while the soldiers were still gambling for His clothing—He prayed to God for forgiveness on their behalf.
Through the spirit of forgiveness, Jesus retains control of the situation when it appears He’s being victimized by it. Forgiving those who seek to injure us is to NOT be controlled by the anger or retaliation that would seek to attach itself to us.
2. Help others who are experiencing the same struggle.
“Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
The criminals on either side of Jesus are experiencing exactly the same agony and suffering as He is. Rather than focusing on His own pain, He extends His concern to those who are struggling with infinitely less resources than He has. In a bad day, it’s important to recognize that others are having it just as tough rather than becoming preoccupied with our own problems.
3. Make sure you’re thinking about those close to you that may be affected by what’s going on in your life and there may be those who are going through something worser than YOU.
“When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.” (John 19:26-27)
Although Jesus is surrounded by turmoil, He is concerned about His mother’s personal situation and turns the responsibility over to His close friend and disciple John to take care of His mother.
[WE SEE THIS IN ROMANS 16:13, Apostle Paul & Rufus, “Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine .”] We have a great tendency to presume that those who are closest to us understand our difficult situations and are willing to come along side to help. It’s not the spirit of a disciple of Jesus to say, “We’re ALL having a bad day, so deal with it!
[Saints] the Word of God says in Philippians 2:1-5, “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”
4. Aim your hard questions at God, not man.
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46)
When you feel sure you’ve lost touch with heaven—aim your hard questions at God, not man. Although human beings may sympathize, none of them have the answer. Job and his comforters are a classic study in how human philosophies fail. Cry out to God. He doesn’t mind our complaints, and although He may seem absent, He’s never far away.
He told us in His Word, 1Peter 5:7-9, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believersall over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.”
Deuteronomy 31:6, “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.””
People say, YOU CAN’T QUESTION GOD? And Yet God says in Isaiah 43:26, “Let us review the situation together, and you can present your case to prove your innocence..”
And in Matthew 11:28-30, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Jeremiah 33:3, “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.”
5. Be human enough to acknowledge your need.
“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst” (John 19:28)
[Apostle John: When Jesus said, “I thirst,” from the cross, He was alluding to a prophecy in Psalm 22:15: “My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.”]
Earlier, Jesus turns down the offer of Wine vinegar, which was the cheapest and easiest wine for soldiers to acquire. It was probably diluted with water.
The drink that could have satisfied His thirst but would have probably made him drunk. He chooses to retain command of His senses. Here Jesus asks for a drink because He wants to clear His throat for the confession of faith, He’s about to make next. [IT IS FINISHED]
There is no one so spiritual that you can make it through a bad day without people coming along side to help you stay the course of trusting in God.
6. Be assured, there is a purpose and an end.
“It is finished!” (John 19:30)
These are the words we most love about the Cross because they are the declaration of Jesus completing our salvation before He dies. Everything has been fulfilled. It’s a statement of triumph that doesn’t see the victory yet, but lays hold of it by faith.
That simple exclamation signaled the end of His life, but the beginning of new life for everyone who would trust in Him for Salvation. “It is finished!” was, in essence, the beginning of much more.
There’s nothing that besets us that God’s hand and purpose won’t work in if we move with Him through a bad day. Just like He did with Jesus, God can turn our bad day into a redemptive event.
7. Finally, surrender your day to God, and let it go.
“Into Your hands I commit My spirit” (Luke 24:46)
The end of a bad day can be the start of a long night of reliving the struggle with bewildering concern: “When will this finally end?” But the way to go through a bad day is to get it into the hands of God and leave it there. That was how the agony of Calvary came to its conclusion. This was not a statement of wearied resignation but one of trust. From the human perspective, Jesus’ words indicate an AWESOME act of trust in the Father and faith that He’s ALWAYS true to His own Word.
“Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit!”
Jesus committed His spirit into the hands of the One who had just poured out every drop of wrath upon Him, into the hands of the Father who had put this curse upon Him. This was like Job but magnified 100 times over. Job had said, “Though Thou kill me, yet will I trust you.” Here, Jesus said, “Regardless of the torture, regardless of the wrath, Father, I commit My soul to You.”