Remain Faithful in the Hard Things

 The Holy Spirit has been repeatedly showing me a visual and with the message: 

"Remain faithful in the hard things".

The visual is the last moments of Yahshua's flesh life and John standing at the foot of the cross (execution stake). John 19:25-27.   He was the only disciple that is identified in scripture, sharing the horrific suffering scene along with Mary the mother of Jesus and two other women.  It is written that all the other disciples scattered and left in fear.  Each, I am sure, was  handling the shock and heartbreak of the death of the one they respected, loved and hoped would end their bondage under Rome, but John despite his deep personal trauma, remained to the very end.

What happened in those final moments of Yahshua's flesh life was John receiving perhaps the greatest, most important assignment of his life up to that time:  John, the beloved of the Lord, was given the delegated reponsibility for Jesus's earthly mother.  Jesus was tying up all the emotional loose ends and thoughtfully providing for his mother's well being after His departure from physical planet earth. 

Despite the deepest grief and pain they were both experiencing, Jesus and John were deeply connected in John's faithfulness and loyalty, a connection that allowed for Jesus to leave His earth with the last bit of a son's obligation and love for his mother to be passed to His friend.

Our world is imploding on so many levels and heartache and grief are felt by all but the most calloused.  We face deeply troubling situations in our families and among our friends and faith communities.  We are seeing such brutality and abuse of humanity, it is hard to look at it day after day.  Many of us want to run away, and hide from the pain we are feeling at what we are witnessing. Just like the disciples ran from the crucifixion and death of their hope.  

Unike the disciples who fled, however, we know the end of the story which should give us the strength to stand firm in these days in the face of hard things and remain faithful without fear or depression over the evil we see manifesting in our world.

Standing at the foot of the cross, present for the final breath our Lord drew did not destroy John but rather set him up for even greater things that would come.  Can we trust that our Lord will do the same in and through us as we face and remain faithful in the hard things? 

Thankfully the rest of the disciples found their courage and loyalty once they saw their Lord resurrected but then incidentally, what they feared that kept them in hiding, was where they finally stood firm.  All were martyred but John.

The Holy Spirit is calling.  Can you hear Him?