Jesus Is Worth ItSample

Fix your thoughts on Jesus

If being a Christian feels hard during this season of your life (trusting God’s plan, forgiving that person, not giving up on organized religion, etc.), pay attention to the encouragement that the author of Hebrews gives: “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest” (3:1).

Fix your thoughts on Jesus. Don’t glance at Jesus or scroll past or spend an hour each week thinking about Jesus. Fix your thoughts on Jesus. The author is convinced that if you do that, you will realize that Jesus is worth it, no matter how hard following him might feel.

Recently, we practiced this at my church. I asked worshipers to stare at the cross in our worship space for a full 30 seconds, which gave us some silence and space to think about what Jesus did on our behalf. Afterward, an every-Sunday worshiper named Tom asked me, “Was the blood always there on our cross?”

“From the beginning,” I answered.

“Huh . . .” Tom replied.

There are glorious things about Jesus that you won’t notice with a quick glance. So fix your thoughts on his cross. Think deeply about who he is (God in the flesh), who you are (a sinner who deserved his wrath), and what he chose to do (prove his love by dying for you). Thoughts of his sacrifice will put your sacrifice in perspective, reminding you that God is still good and that his Son is still worthy of praise.