The Toughest Things

The word tough in the dictionary is defined as strong and firm in texture but flexible and not brittle.
In life there often are a serious of ups and downs. In life there are often thing, situations, people, and experiences that I would classify as tough. Lately I have been under the impression that I am going through tough things. I could give you a list of things, most of them being self-pitying but a few actually being serious. For example, Lymphoma. Lymphoma ( a type of cancer) has been attacking my Grandpa's body. This is the second time his body has been diagnosed. This time, it will take him, no matter how hard he fights back, it has him in a choke hold. While it is extremely hard for him going to chemo and blood transfusions and bone marrow testing, ans so on, it is also hard for me to sit by and watch as his body slowly deteriorates in front of my family and I. The relationship I have with my grandpa is strong, and I am full of admiration and love for this man. There are a few things such as relationships that need mending, or my heart that needs protecting, even dreams that I desire to pursue. These things I would consider to be tough. Although some may be easier than others they are the toughest things in life.
Being Easter, I am reminded of the fact that there is a God who loves us unconditionally. He holds us up, he is our foundation when we are going through the toughest of things. He is
back bone he creates a strength inside of us that we cannot give ourselves. 2,000 years ago (give or take) our Father gave his son up to live in this world full of evil. Jesus, was sent here to live among other humans, sinners, he wast tested, tried, and tempted yet he remained holy and pure. Jesus, the Savior of the world came and lived among the toughest of things, death, disease, struggle, poverty, heart break, loneliness, sinfulness, and so on. This alone should have been enough, but our God continued to give of himself because of his passion, his love and his faithfulness. He sent his son to a miserable death. A death on a cross, humiliation. " Then Pilate took Jesus and had him Flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again saying, 'Hail, king of the Jews' and they struck him." - John 19 :1 . Jesus experienced, temptation, heart ache, and "even death on a cross"- Philippians 2:8.
The point is, that Jesus died for our sins and for us so that even though we live in a world packed full, leaking at the cracks, overflowing with the toughest things, we wont have to live this way again. After we pass through this life that deals us a card of toughness we will live in a glorious eternal life with our Father who loves us so much that he sent his son to die for us. This though alone make the toughest things not so hard to handle. Sure, tough things are still going to happen, but because they are not brittle (according to the definition) they are flexible, the love of Christ makes is easier to handle. Sure, they are strong, and we are all going to have to deal with terrible, hard to handle things in life, they are made a little easier knowing that the Holy Spirit is beside us all the way, surrounding us with the love of our Father, and his son's blood. Remember that the next time you are under the impression that your life is full of the toughest things.