My friend, a fellow pastor, shared this story. He told of a woman in his congregation who came to him, sorrowfully sharing that she was going to divorce her husband. Naturally, my pastor friend wondered if there was some way to save the marriage. But no matter what he suggested, or whatever avenue he approached, she had a good answer. Her husband had been mean, cruel, physically abusive, a liar and unfaithful. Conclusively, my friend admitted this woman had every right – legally and spiritually – to divorce her husband.
The pastor tried one last thing to try to convince her to try again. He said, “You are justified in divorcing your husband if you want. You have shown that he is not worthy of trusting and keeping. Nothing I have done to try to persuade you otherwise has worked. You’re tired of trying. You believe no efforts are worth it. You won’t do it for me, for your family or friends. Now I want to ask you one last question, will you do it for Jesus?”
He went on to explain that Jesus told us that in this world we would have tribulation (trouble). He told us that those who hated Him would also hate us who tried to follow Him. Additionally, He called us to take up our cross and follow Him. Now, a cross isn’t something that just happens to us like being crippled for life, or having a bad back or a bad family. It is something that you willingly pick up and carry knowing it will be difficult or painful, or will cause you suffering. Jesus said, “Take up your cross.” It is something that is a choice that we make in order to follow Him and please Him. The pastor continued, “Will you go back and love that rascal and do everything you can in every situation to show Christ’s love to that unworthy man?”
The lady replied with tears flowing down her cheeks, “Oh Pastor, I don’t want to, I’ve had it, I’ve had enough. But when you put it that way, ‘Will I do it for Christ?, then yes, I’ll go back and try again in Christ’s love.’” Several months passed, and one day, the church had an all-night prayer meeting. This woman was there in attendance. Suddenly, the doors to the church crashed open and the husband came charging in. He came right up to the pastor, pointed his finger in the pastor’s face and shouted, “Pastor, I don’t know what you’ve done to my wife. I treat her horribly. I lie to her and cheat on her. I insult her and treat her like dirt, and she just smiles at me and loves me anyway. I don’t know what you’ve done to her, but whatever it is, I want it too.” He then bowed down and let the pastor lead him to a new life in Christ.
It, of course, doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes, couples still come to the end and separate, divorce and suffer through the hurt of all that. But sometimes, we don’t recognize the depth of commitment to which Christ has called us. Taking up a cross and following Him is no simple decision. Sometimes, it costs and the suffering of carrying a cross is heavy and painful. However, sometimes the results are well worth the effort, well worth the cost.
I believe that is a consideration we have to carefully ponder when we decide to be a follower of Jesus.
– Just a Thought Dale Fillmore is lead pastor at New Day Church.
