We often use "the cross" as a synonym for suffering. The two go hand in hand; yet in the midst of this suffering, we cannot forget the beauty that the cross makes possible. Thomas À Kempis wrote extensively on the cross in his book, The Imitation of Christ. Although he acknowledges the serious hardships that must be endured through the cross, he also notes that it is only through the cross that we are able to have life, protection, and complete unity with Christ. If we want to be one with Jesus, the cross is inevitable and unavoidable. If we want to be a friend to Christ, it means we will share in His sufferings. It means we will not run away from the cross. As he bore the cross out of love for us, so we will do the same for Him, always remembering His sufferings when we bear our own.
The cross comes in many different forms. It comes not only in great tragedy, such as death or natural disasters, but also in daily life, such as in enduring monotonous work, struggling to have patience, trying to give others the benefit of the doubt, or simply doing homework. As Thomas À Kempis says, "No matter how you plan things and arrange them to your liking, you still will find something to suffer, either willingly or unwillingly, and so you will always find the cross." No matter what we do, we cannot escape the cross.
I find that sometimes perhaps I am living in a never-ending cycle, in which I grapple with some challenge for awhile and then another challenge follows when the other fades. I work to be rid of one suffering, but inevitably another comes along. This seems discouraging to think of it in such a way because it seems as though such efforts are futile. Kempis tells us, "No remedy or comfort can free you from this affliction or make it easier for you to bear; you simply have to bear your cross for as long as God wills it." Why bother carrying the cross, why bother continuing the journey, if we will never find relief? Yet, here lies the paradox. It is through carrying the cross that we shall find relief. We will never find relief from suffering itself, but rather, we will find relief in suffering. Thomas À Kempis says that as we continue to carry the cross, we learn to have patience amidst affliction. In fact, the desire to be released from such affliction fades, for one discovers that it is through such suffering that one grows in love for God. Thus, "If you resolve to...suffer and die to yourself, things will go better with you and you will find peace."
It is ironic how our first instinct is to run away from all suffering when it is actually suffering that will bring our souls to life. This does not mean that we should not put up a fight when we suffer, for instance, if we are ill and could be healed if we were to seek treatment. However, it does mean that we should embrace the suffering that we must inevitably bear in the moment, whether we are healed or not. There truly is beauty amidst the suffering, beauty that lies deep and awaits us, and graces that will pour out upon our hearts if we only open ourselves up to receive them through the acceptance of our sufferings.
