You cannot know Jesus in any real depth unless you share in his sufferings.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada. I’ve been praying for Ashley, a friend who is battling colon cancer right now. Unfortunately, the cancer has returned since her last chemotherapy, and now Ashley, a young woman, has to undergo a different kind of treatment that turns her hands and feet, dry, cracked, and gray. The pain in her hands and feet make it impossible to even get around with a walker. That sparked an interesting conversation between Ashley and her father about the hands and feet of Jesus being wounded. Ashley told her dad, “You know, I’ve been drawn so much closer to Jesus through this. Like there’s this strange union between Christ and us that comes only from suffering.” And Ashley’s right. One simply cannot know Jesus in any real depth unless through this strange fellowship of sharing in his sufferings. That’s something encouraging to remember if you are hurting today.
© Joni and Friends