Our Troubled Soul

John chapter 12 reveals the time when Jesus announces that he would soon return to his glorious position with the Father in heaven (after the cross and the resurrection).

John 12:23 (NLT)

Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.

Time was running out. Jesus would soon be leaving the earth. Jesus knew what was coming. He knew about the cross of suffering. He knew about the resurrection, and He knew about the glorious ascension to the right hand of the Father. Knowing all this, He was still troubled in his soul.

John 12:27-28 (NLT)

“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! 28 Father, bring glory to your name.” Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.”

I find this moment in Jesus’ life to be quite comforting to me today. He knew about the resurrected glory that was waiting for him on the other side of suffering. He knew about the empty chair that was waiting for Him at the right hand of the Father! He knew, and yet He was still troubled deep within his soul. Why?

Jesus was a man. Yes, He was the fullness of God wrapped in human flesh, but Jesus was also fully man. The Bible tells us that He was like us humans in every way, so that He could experience and sympathize with our weakness and intercede for us in the times when our souls are troubled.

Hebrews 2:14-18 (NLT)

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. 16 We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. 18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

We will never be able to look at Jesus in our times of trouble souls and say that you don’t understand. He knew in advance about the resurrected glory that belonged to him, but he was still troubled in his soul during the time of suffering. This human experience makes Jesus our every present help and High Priest in times of troubled souls. The Apostle Peter also reveals the same truth to us.

1 Peter 4:12-13 (NLT)

Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

As Born-Again Believers, we have been told in advance, like Jesus, that following God will bring times of suffering and hardships that will trouble our souls before we receive our resurrected glory. We must find comfort in the fact that these times of suffering are quite normal. And it will all be worth it in the resurrection of the last day.

Hebrews 12:1-4 (NLT)

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 so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 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. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

Jesus endured all the suffering because of the joy that was waiting on the other side. We too must endure suffering and hardships as we wait for the joyous glory of the resurrection of the last day.

Maranatha, Hosanna, Hallelujah and Amen,

Terry Cooper