And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. (Luke 1:30-31 KJV)

What a beautiful name it is — Jesus is indeed the sweetest name I know. I believe we can all say, amidst a year unlike any we have witnessed in our lifetime, the name of Jesus has been the anchor which tethers us to HOPE in this world. It is the name above every name, and one that every knee will one day bow to.

As this year comes to an end, and the season of Christmas soon approaches, I began to ponder this scripture concerning the mother of Jesus. Inscribed into the pages of history, is a young woman who would bear the weight of birthing the saviour of the world. To think, Mary found favor with God, in so much that she would be the very corridor to bring Heaven down to earth. Yet, favor from God was accompanied with a cost.

It would be Simeon who would warn Mary — “Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:35 (KJV)

It was John Gill who penned these words — “as he was a man of sorrows, so was she a woman of sorrows. Like so many darts, or javelins, rebounded from him to her, and pierced her soul through; as when Herod sought his life, when she had lost him for a whole day, and when he was frequently exposed to danger among the spiteful and malicious Jews; but never more than when she stood at his cross, and saw him, in his agonies, extended on the tree, bleeding, gasping, and dying.”

In all my years of living for the Lord, it wasn’t until recently, that I stopped to ponder this sobering reality about the mother of Jesus. The angel said, you have found favor with God Mary, yet Simeon reminded her, “a sword shall pierce through thy own soul.” This defies modern prosperity theology, which dismisses the notion, living for God comes at a high cost. The world lives in a false pretense that serving God is a life of ease and comfort. This false gospel destroys the reality that living for God, and carrying the weight of the Cross, comes with a burden that many are not willing to pay.

The life of Mary should give us all comfort, that suffering in this present life is not a sign we have been forsaken by God; but suffering precedes God’s glory. There are things birthed inside of us, which causes Heaven to rejoice, but also comes with a piercing to the soul. From the womb of Eve to the womb of Mary, redemption for all humanity has been accompanied with pain and suffering.

As I read these scriptures about the life of Mary, I began to think back over my own life, and acknowledge this truth— The weight of God’s Glory, is always connected to affliction and suffering.

– The glory of the Cross was only after the suffering on the Cross.

– Job’s revelation to God’s sovereignty, was only after his suffering.

– Joseph’s road to glory was through the pit of pain and suffering. Before he wore the signet of prestige and honor, he would first wear shackles of iron.

– When Abraham saw a glimpse of his seed, God reminded him, they must first suffer 400 years of bondage and affliction. Yet, when the suffering is over, “they shall come out with great substance!”

It was Paul who reminded us,

For all things [are] for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward [man] is renewed day by day.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory;

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen [are] temporal; but the things which are not seen [are] eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:15-18 (KJV)

I’m unequivocally convinced, God allows suffering to do an eternal work in us, which can come no other way! It’s truly the fire that purges the dross from the gold, leaving it more weighty in value.

Every ounce of suffering in this life, can be used to manifest God’s eternal glory in us! Many people fail to see life in this manner, but we must understand the sovereignty of God — He works all things for our good, according to His divine purpose!

To all the Mary’s in this present life, your suffering upon this earth is not a sign that God has forsaken you. Rather, it is a sign you have found favor with the God you serve. He has chosen to show His glory through your life.

Paul said, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. [We are] troubled on every side, yet not distressed; [we are] perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-10 (KJV)

As a chosen vessel of God, Paul lived his life with both favor and a piercing of his soul. Yet, he had a revelation to the providence of God. The thorns of life were wrapped up in God’s love and grace. This may seem like a most unusual perspective for the month of December; perhaps I am keeping step with this most unusual year. However, the life of Mary should truly give us all comfort in this life that is accompanied with heartaches and struggles.

From watching loved ones suffer with terminal illnesses, to maybe enduring financial hardships in 2020, whatever the piercing of the soul may be, take comfort today, your suffering precedes the glory of God in your life.

It would be fifty days from the time Mary watched Jesus hang on a Cross, until the time she would experience the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost. No doubt, her pain and suffering paved way for a vessel unto honor; One that God could manifest His glory through. As she would go through Jerusalem as a Holy Ghost filled saint of God, many people perhaps questioned, “isn’t this the mother of Jesus?” Yet, her life exemplified one of an overcomer by the glory of Jesus Christ.

As we celebrate the life of our saviour, may we never forget about His road from the manger to the cross. It would take a cross of suffering to get to the throne of glory. For you and I today, there is no crown without a cross. True glory is not the American dream. True glory is about hearing the Lord say, well done thou good and faithful servant.

The apostle Peter said — Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 1 Peter 1:11 (KJV)

It was C.H. Spurgeon who penned the words — “our road to glory runs by the rivers of grief.”

Take comfort today my brethren in Christ — today’s suffering is paving the way for God’s glory tomorrow.