There’s no doubt… the battle I’ve fought with my health over the last year has taken a lot out of me. Cancer, pain, quad problems, and most recently, my two week hospitalization for pneumonia? There was a time I would have thought God was laying too much on me. I would have tried to justify taking a little time off from obeying Him, reasoning that ‘God will understand if I get a little self-centered; after all, look at everything I’m going through!’ But I’ve learned over the years that’s pure rebellion. If I go through deep trials, God doesn’t owe me time off. God owes me nothing. Without His grace, I’d be burnt toast. But amazingly, He gives mercy – and nowhere is His mercy shown more beautifully than on the cross.

It’s why I love Good Friday. My rebellion – no matter how infinitesimally small – is what drove the spikes into the hands and feet of my Savior. In light of such a merciful gift, I’m going to do everything I can to root out stubbornness; I am bringing out into the open old grudges, petty offenses, good deeds ignored, exaggerating the truth, hogging the spotlight, and more. It’s what makes Good Friday truly good – had Jesus not died and rose from the grave, I would have no power nor interest in saying ‘no’ to sin and ‘yes’ to godliness.  So today, join me in asking the Spirit to shine His reproving, piercing light into the darkest corners of our hearts – it’s the only way to cultivate true joy on Resurrection Morning!