"Jesus, the Example"

  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people, then you won't become weary and give up." (Hebrews 12:1-3 NLT)

  "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:5-8 KJV)

 Having been through several storms, it is still hard to compare anything that I have went through with that which Jesus did for us! Everything that we have to deal with, no matter how bad it might seem, doesn't even come close the overwhelming punishment that Jesus endured, on so many levels! 

 As it was, Jesus could have stopped the punishment, with just a word; but He endured everything that was done, willingly, taking on the punishment for each and every one of us, all at once! The heaviness of what He bore was more than anyone could have endured, having taken on the sins of the entire world; being mocked and looked upon as a sinner, while actually suffering for the sins of those who mocked Him. 

 And to top that off, He actually asked the Father to forgive them, even though it was very apparent that they hated Him. The thing that makes it seem worse of all, is the actual cause of His death, which many believe was a broken heart...

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:3-5 KJV)