In his letter to the Romans (12:15), the Apostle Paul instructs believers to “rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”
To be honest, I find the second part easiest. When someone is experiencing hardship, pain, or loss, my heart goes out to them. I feel the pain. I wonder what I can do to help.
That first part? That’s a different story. It just doesn’t come naturally to me. And I hate that.
When others share their great accomplishments or successes, the first thoughts that flood my mind are of myself. More specifically, what a failure—what a loser—how incompetent or inadequate I am in comparison. It’s just plain ugly.
After years of following Jesus, loads of emotional healing from the wounds of my past, tons of repentance … this still happens. And it might happen until I breathe my last this side of heaven.
I simply don’t know how to stop those thoughts from plopping into my mind.
But … I have learned how to take them captive much, much more quickly. I trap those thoughts in a jar like a bug and bring them to the foot of the Cross for inspection by my King.
“Do these thoughts submit to You? Do these thoughts line up with the Way, the Truth, and the Life?”
The immediate response is always, “No. Not one bit.”
The Holy Spirit reminds me of my innate value as a child of God—His image bearer—His wonderfully made creation. The Holy Spirit reminds me of my identity in Christ … who I am IN Him. All the truth.
And then He gently reminds me of the accomplishments that matter most.
What Jesus Accomplished
Truth is, we could build the longest resume filled with the most incredible successes and accomplishments and it will forever and always pale in comparison to what Jesus accomplished on the Cross and through His resurrection. Nothing we could ever do can come close to paying the penalty for humanity’s sins, satisfying God’s wrath against injustice and wickedness, and reconciling created beings to their Creator. And there is so much freedom, rest, and joy in that reality. This hold hymn says it so well:
“When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
”
What Jesus Will Accomplish
No one knows the day or the hour, but we do know Jesus promised He will return one day as the conquering King. After Jesus ascended into heaven, angels had a question for the apostles. They asked,
Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11
When He comes again, evil will be defeated for good, every tear will be wiped away, all creation will be restored to the fullness of what God intends, and the final victory for the Kingdom of God will be accomplished.
For those who know this world and its vain ideologies have nothing for us … this is the accomplishment we’re waiting for. Aching for.
While we don’t know when, we do know that it will happen at a future time when God is finished doing all He is doing in this part of human history. When I think about this, it helps me rejoice with those who rejoice.
How does focusing on a future event yank me out of self-pity and help me rejoice with those who rejoice? I’m so glad you asked.
I’ll answer with a very (very) simple analogy I hope might bless you:
Imagine that God’s work in human history is a picture He’s coloring, and Jesus will return when God makes the final stroke of a crayon—when His picture is completed just to His liking.
Now, imagine we’re all crayons in His box watching Him color. What matters most? That depends upon our focus. Is our focus on which crayon God is using? Or is it on the picture? More specifically how close it is to being completed?
When I stay focused on the picture, it doesn’t matter which crayon He’s using. If He’s using the Teasi-colored crayon, of course I’m thrilled since that’s what I’m made for, but what matters most is that with any and every crayon He uses, the picture is closer to completion. Every time He uses a crayon, I’m assured He’s still at work. He’s not on vacation somewhere leaving us in our mess.
Rather than falling into the pit of comparison (which is a bottomless pit, by the way), I’m restored to the hope and joy of His story—of His accomplishments.
He’s still coloring. And that’s worth celebrating!