Last Words | With Me | Worst Day

And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”  Luke 23:43

It was the worst day of His life. He’d spent the last three years teaching, healing, comforting, forgiving, and pouring Himself out so that human beings could know His Father. He’d brought heaven to earth and crowds followed Him everywhere He went, but now…now He was facing His worst hour and where were they? Where were His friends? Where were the healed lepers, the forgiven prostitutes, the cripples made whole? Jesus had to face his worst hour alone, except for a couple of criminals on either side of Him. Even then, the way He handled His suffering prompted one to ask, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And in the middle of His worst day, Jesus turned toward someone else and offered him hope.

Which way do you turn when you’re having the worst day of your life? Most of us turn inward. Our pain causes us to develop tunnel vision. We become so focused on our own crisis that we turn away from other people and their problems. But even in death, Jesus showed us which way to turn when we’re suffering. Turning inward is natural; turning outward is supernatural. Pain and rejection could not change His mission, so instead of turning toward His own blood-soaked body, Jesus turned toward a man He could save. Instead of dwelling on the agony in His soul, He focused on another soul who could join Him in eternity. In the most desperate of situations, Jesus turned outward, offering hope to someone else. We can do that too.

Final Thought:  Which way do you turn when you are hurting? Try turning outward to help someone else. It will help you.
Prayer: Father, I get very selfish when I’m hurting and it seems like I’m hurting a lot. Maybe my focus has been wrong, which is why it’s hard to get past it. Help me to look outward for someone to help, even when I’m hurting. In Jesus’ name, Amen.