A Lighter Cross

“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now.” John 16:12.

I read about a man named Arthur Bissett in my Bible study this morning who opened a coffee shop in the 1960’s.  He nailed a large cross onto the wall of his shop, and later was compelled to remove the cross and take it out into the streets of California with the message.  ‘Eventually he would carry it across the country and across the world…on foot.’ www.blessitt.com.  On Christmas Day in 1969 he made his first walk, and since then he walked over 42,000 miles covering all 7 continents.  He is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.  God called him to this unusual ministry and he fulfilled his calling.  I love the quote he made about carrying his wooden cross. ‘If I knew I was going to have to carry it around the world, I wouldn’t have made it so big.’ www.blessitt.com.

I can’t even begin to name the times that I have spoken this sentiment to myself…If I had only known…I never imagined…I never saw that coming.  I have said before that had I known it would be 8 long heartbreaking years before one of my children became physically and spiritually healthy I could never have survived.  The cross seemed lighter back then as I believed that any day hope would win, and my family would be reconciled again.  Had I carried the cross of knowledge it would have been too difficult knowing the long season that was in store for me.  The cross seemed a little lighter before I understood that not only would my dad get cancer, but my father-in-law would get Alzheimer’s followed by my sister’s cancer.  The cross was a little lighter before I realized that work would be sparse for a few years instead of a few months.  We all have big expectations throughout our lives.  But God usually doesn’t call us to our expectations, but constructs big and heavy crosses to lug around.  His interest is in transforming our hearts and minds, not in our ease and convenience.  Our heavy crosses force us to be dependent upon the One who carried His through town for each of us. 

I thank God for the providence He gives us as He shields our eyes from our future circumstances.  I’m grateful that He only gives us what we can bear at the time.  When we lay our crosses upon His shoulders we can have confidence that it’s not too heavy for Him.  He has already lugged around the heaviest cross ever built.  Give Him your burdens and your weariness for He has already carried the cross for you.  His worst day in history became our best day in eternity.  He exchanged His cross for a throne!  Walk in the blessing that no matter what your circumstances may be, He has overcome!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33