Day 38: Courage under fire

23 March, Day 38: John 10:31-42

Are you someone who can get over past hurts easily or someone who continues to feel bad about events even years later it has happened to them. I suppose it could depend on the severity of the wound inflicted.

Most of us can't fully escape from emotional baggage from the previous years - be it hurting words or actions from people close (friends and family) or far (co-workers, acquaintances somebody in the larger community)

Today's verse is from John 10: 31-42

 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,  but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

Thoughts: As mentioned earlier, the last few verses starting from this one begins to show the sequence of events which led to his Crucifixation, starting from the growing restlessness of the crowds who are against Jesus, to Jesus openly speaking about his divinity, and then being at the recieving end of hostility.

 He knows what is about to come, but carries on anyway. He is allowing things to happen to him, as is the will of God.

Jesus asks the crowds who oppose him: despite me showing you many good things, why do you stone me?

Quite a human response don't you think? When we have been perfectly good, and when horrible things happen to us, we always question 'Why me?' and we think 'Why do bad things happen to good people?'

Don't have an answer to that one, but Jesus tells us how to behave when bad things do happen to us (and they will).  This also includes the hurt and pain cause by others which we tend to drag along with us - emotional baggage.

The key lies in moving past our human reaction to things - sadness, frustration, brokeness, depression, doubts - to a place of stillness and peace. The hardest transition yet.

We do this by remaining steadfast to the truth (God) even when things outside us are in flux. By accepting situations what they are, never losing hope and remaining courageous, despite the odds.

Takeaway: Hope can be found no matter what we have gone through, no matter what people put us through.

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