Being Tried in a Fire? I'd REALLY Rather Not...

This is a personal letter, ode...heartfelt scream to those of us who don’t want to be tried by the fire...those of us who would 100% take an alternative to dying on the cross....those of us who are proud of the Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace, but, if offered, would HIGHKEY like an option B to show our loyalty to God...

You are not alone. 

Your feelings do NOT make you un-Christ-like. 

In fact, you are more like Jesus than you probably realize. 

As a Christian, our ultimate example of living “Christ-like” is Jesus. To that end, the ultimate example of sacrifice for the greater good is Jesus and the Cross. Not only was the cross a gloomy event, but it was something that Jesus (in all of his “fully man, fully God”-ness) knew would happen before it happened.  

Although the Bible makes it clear that Jesus loves us and that He was willing to die for us, in that SAME Bible....Matthew, Luke, AND MARK make it clear that JESUS DID NOT WANT THE CROSS! (Sidenote: You can be willing to do something but not WANT to do it. Don’t let people, including YOURSELF, manipulate you into believing that you have to WANT something to be willing to do it...effectively.) 

Jesus....THE CHRIST...did NOT want to be crucified. He didn’t want to be “tried” by the proverbial fire. In fact, his prayer was not “Lord try me.” His pray was more like, “I don’t really want to do this and if there is an alternative, I’d be glad to discuss said options.”  

He never begged God to put him on a cross, instead...he resolved within himself that God’s Will (whatever that looked like) would be better than any other potential alternative. 

Here’s what I want us...”I don’t want the fire” peeps to understand. 

We’re not crazy for not wanting tough situations. We’re not “fake” Christians because our hearts’ desires aren’t to feel pain. We’re not “not spiritual” because we find it hard to repeat words, even set to beautiful melodic tunes, that we just don’t actually believe. 

Remember that at the end of the day, Jesus, too and as well, was a human being. He knows our tendencies. He knows our limits. He knows what having feelings feels like, and he, too, wanted out.  

Just as you remember that, it is important to remember that at the end of the day, our prayer should be “NEVERTHELESS...not my will, but your will be done.” That’s what makes us look like Jesus. 

People, I guess in attempts to sound spiritual, say things that Jesus himself never actually said, nor taught. I’m not saying that those people aren’t genuine, but I am saying that Jesus is a great example of how to lead a life both as a human and a spiritual being.  

Life happens to Christians and Non-Christians. You don’t have to pray for a storm to come. You don’t have to pray for fiery trials to fall. You don’t have to pray for terrible situations to happen to you...Life happens to all of us, but as believers we do have a hope that our situations are ultimately bring glory to God.  

So, final word... 

You can breathe. You aren’t NOT a Christian because you don’t want problems. Just remember that it's ALWAYS His Will over our feelings...whatever that looks like.