Joy in the Midst of Crisis
Our world is in a state of crisis. It is a crisis with the potential to reach into our very homes, putting us and those we love dearest in peril of our lives. These are indeed serious times.
Yet because of the seriousness and the universality of the crisis we are facing, it is more important than ever that Christians maintain a Christlike outlook on what God has allowed at the global, national, state, and personal levels of our lives.
So how do we do this? How is a Christian to face a time of crisis such as we are living in? Hebrews 12:2 gives us the answer:
"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."
We can in this crisis, as in all others, take Jesus' conduct as the example of what our own should be. Jesus faced crisis. He was betrayed by a friend, wrongfully arrested, falsely accused, found innocent multiple times, but then sentenced to the cruelest of executions, having been passed over for a pardon in favor of an undoubtedly guilty murderer. He was beaten, mocked, made to carry a heavy cross uphill to the place of His execution, He had nails driven into His hands and feet, and then endured the agony of the cross.
And how did He handle it? This Hebrews passage, as well as the Gospel accounts, indicate that Jesus faced this enormous load of suffering calmly, patiently, and confidently. He saw the shame of the injustice of His trial and suffering as nothing. He despised it -that is, He saw it as insignificant in comparison with all it would accomplish.
The reason He was able to thus dismiss the shame of His trial and endure the weight of His suffering, is "for the joy that was set before Him". Jesus looked ahead to the joy that would come as a result of His suffering.
Matthew Henry says: "He rejoiced to see that by His sufferings He should make satisfaction to the injured justice of God, that He should make peace between God and man, that He should open a way of salvation."*
The joy of what God would do through the crisis is what kept Jesus going throughout all the suffering He endured for us; It is that same joy that can keep us going through our current crisis, and any other crises we may face.
We can face sickness, suffering, even death with the calm assurance that God's Word is true, that Romans 8:28 is not just a hope, but a reality!
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."
My pastor commented on Hebrews 12:2 once in a sermon, and I thought what he said was particularly striking. He made the statement:
"Christ's joy insulates us from the happenings of life."*
Think about that. It insulates, but does not remove. The joy set before Christ didn't remove the suffering He was to endure; but it did insulate Him from the spiritual effects of that suffering by placing it within a greater purpose. He felt the physical and emotional pain, but bore it with spiritual grace and fortitude because He knew what it would accomplish.
Our current crisis has a greater purpose. We know that because we know that God has already promised to use it for good to those who love Him. —COVID-19 is included in "all things", right? Then we can trust that God will do as He has said and use it for good.
The world is watching us, to see how we respond. Will they see us gripped by fear and worry, depression and despair, or will they see us respond with joyful grace and confidence in Christ?
*Matthew Henry: Matthew Henry's Commentary p. 1926
*Dr. Ben Jaquith, from a sermon Oct. 20, 2019