Jesus Is Even When

I wrote the first draft of this on Saturday (3 days ago). I’m normally hesitant before posting, and God definitely knows this. In the past few days, what I’ve read in my Bible and heard in a sermon has encouraged me. In fact, I’ve gone back and applied some of the verses I highlighted in my Bible. Glory to God.

“Who is Jesus?”

The youth group’s sermon series this past Fall. The question I’ve been answering in a deeper way for the past 3 years.

Peter responds to this question in the Gospels: “The Christ (or Messiah) of God.” Jesus is the anointed one who fulfills the prophecies. Jesus is the Savior who comes to rescue all those who follow Him. 

Good Answers

I used to be cynical at the thought of seasonal depression, but the more I think about it, the more it seems real. Recently, my friend and I were checking in on each other. It seems right when I’m back up to speed, she is struggling with desire and motivation. Below is what I texted her.

“I relate! With the youth, the series is Who is Jesus. And of course on the last session, he asks that. When I wrote my answer, I started off without even thinking with a really basic but true answer: ‘Jesus is my Lord and Savior.’ And then I was like, okay I put no thought into that. I write in pen, so I couldn’t erase it, so I think of what to add. I add ‘Even when.’ Jesus is… even when ____. My biggest finish to that statement was ‘Even when I don’t feel like it.’ This was last Wednesday, so trust when i say i relate lol. But the beauty of our faith is that Jesus is no matter what we fill the blank with”

The good church answers are typically the right ones, but are no good to us without meaning. 

It’s easy to spout off something that sounds good when you have grown up in the church and in the Bible belt. 

Real Answers

It’s harder to confess these answers as your own when you aren’t feeling up to it. Hardships are truly the test of faith. They make the real answers come out. 1 Peter 1:6-7 says, “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

My Comfort

In the past 6 months, I’ve been taking an inventory of some of my personal struggles. I’ve been sharing a lot, and it’s been a journey. While I don’t think this is the place to share every detail, I’ll tell you one thing that has kept me on my feet through the roughest parts.

To know God is God has been the most comforting thought.

Many times throughout the Bible, people ask God to save them according to His character (not theirs). 

Psalm 143:1-2 says:

“Hear my prayer, Lord, Listen to my pleadings! Answer me in Your faithfulness, in Your righteousness! And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For no person living is righteous in Your sight.”

It’s “on God.” 

Psalm 62:7-8

"My salvation and my glory rest on God; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah"

When you feel nothing is right with the world, you can rest assured that God is God. It’s on Him and not on me. God holds the world in His hands. He is sovereign.

When I feel nothing is right with my reality or even me, I know my well-being is ultimately secured eternally. My satisfaction cannot be redeemed on this earth, but it will be in heaven.

How did I secure this position? How did I earn the right to be in heaven? It was never on me. It’s on God. When I acknowledge this in my day-to-day circumstances, it becomes a powerful truth that brings my soul peace. 

Psalm 71:3 

Be to me a rock of dwelling to which I may continually come; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress. God is the rock of our salvation.

Emotional rock: When you can’t feel right

• You feel a lack of motivation. Or you don’t feel joy. Or you feel doubt in yourself or God. Or the hope that you have in God just isn’t registering with your feelings… You don’t have to feel “right” in order that God can be God. Your feelings don’t dictate God’s sovereignty. Your salvation from your sins and ultimate rest in God does not rest upon your feelings, but on God.

  
  

Mental rock: When you can’t think straight

• You feel like you could be going crazy. Or it’s just one of those nights. Or it’s that time of the month (iykyk). Or you feel like you have lost control of your mind and are fighting to focus on the goodness of God. When you can’t think right, it’s okay. The pressure to keep the only thing that matters (your relationship with God) does not depend on your mind. Whether you are smart or clueless, quick or slow, focused or dispersed, OCD or ADD/ADHD, you can rest assured that God can be God in any of those cases. God can even be your God when you aren’t proud of your mind.

  
  

Physical rock: When you can’t do right

• You feel like it doesn’t matter how right you are mentally or emotionally because you can’t do anything right. Or your body just isn’t agreeing with you. Or you can’t do the things you once could. Or you can’t keep up with your physical demands or with the ups and downs. Or you don’t understand what’s wrong and how to fix it. Guys, it’s the same pattern here, too. Your physical limitations do not limit our Almighty God. God is not subject to your ups and downs.

  
  

The rock in any area

The rock when you are failing in all three areas. The rock, no matter your position. Success, failure, talent, ability, wealth, poor, suffering, confidence, doubt, guilt, shame, fear, confidence, pride… the rock in any mountain or valley is that God is God. 

Another Way of Saying It

This is going to sound harsh, yet I still find it comforting. It’s a good thing that God does not need you. God is God no matter what. 

This also means that God does not need you to be perfect or even “good enough” for God to do what He needs or wants to do.

God saves sinners, despite our position. Whatever our brokenness is, God is enough where we are not.

This is the Gospel.

Your Turn

Fill in the blank:

Who is Jesus? Jesus is my Lord and Savior even when _____ (anything).

If you don’t buy into this, I highly recommend this purchase. I highly recommend you trade your brokenness for God’s love and acceptance. It’s a great deal. Nothing on this side of eternity is worth not taking this deal. It’s worth everything you own. You can’t depend on anything temporary…. Mind, body, feelings, wealth, circumstance, chance, or even other broken people. You can depend on God.

So, as you finish out the year and reflect on Jesus’ birth during this Christmas season, you can rest assured that no matter what, God is God. It’s on God. Jesus is even when.

...

P.S. I’d have ended this post by now, but I just really wanted to mention this. One of the ways I started thinking about this was by looking at the book of Job differently. Once a small group where our topic was trials, I said that Job’s story gave me comfort. This preceded a skeptical face made by a peer. I’ve written about this a few times before… It’s in Job’s story that I know it’s on God. Job doesn’t know why he suffers, but God knows, and Job doesn’t have to know. Job doesn’t have to do anything for God to be God. Job can still glorify God, no matter how much brokenness he experiences. You can listen to a summary of his story here.