To Be More Like Christ

In my room I have a wall of pictures basically. They are hung on twine with the cutest little baby clothes pins. They are little snapshots and reminders of the seasons of my life for basically the last four years. I look at them and smile because each one of them has people who are precious to me and memories that fill my heart to the brim with joy. There are sweet African babies, there are high school and college friends, there are sweet Texas memories, and my precious family.

Today I was looking over them and came across a picture from Christmas. It's just my siblings and I sitting around our Papa. We are smiling, but as I looked at it I was taken back to that day and that season of my life. It was a hard time. I was dealing with a broken heart and the first Christmas without my sweet Granny and if I'm completely honest, I was not close with God. I was angry and confused and I felt like God had completely forgotten me. I felt betrayed and I really could not deal with it. I expressed this to my friend Lauren one day and she smacked me with some hard Biblical truth reminding me that we are not called to happiness we are called to Godliness and that if I would just look at the cross I could not deny his love and goodness. That day began a new season for me. Not a perfect season, or even one where the hurt stopped and understanding came. It was a season of growth and it was not at all easy, but it was good, so so good.

Christ lived a life of suffering on earth. He was gossiped about, thrown in prison, beaten and eventually crucified. So who am I took think that my time on this earth would be all fun and games? It isn't because what would we learn from that? If life were easy we would not need to cry out to God and rely on Him to satisfy our needs and mend our broken hearts.

1 Peter 2:21 reminds us that we are called to suffer because

"Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps"

I find it extremely humbling to know that suffering and hardship makes me closer to Christ. Although my suffering does not come close to that of Christ or even to that of other's here on earth, it was still a season that God used my hurt to draw me nearer to him. If I got my heartbroken to become more like Jesus then I can accept that. My prayer then is this: That I never take my seasons of suffering for granted but that I choose to seek the face of Christ and know that he is good and he is love.

It is strange thought to think if we desire to be like Christ then we must desire suffering.

Lord make me more like you, whatever that entails. I just want to be like you.