\nOne night I was awakened in the middle of the night with these words: Embrace your thorns. Why? Because painful circumstances, mean people who have offended you or spoken falsely about you are actually helping you arrive sooner to your destiny. Perhaps we should thank them. They are helping us lose our reputation in the world and, as a result, bring the humility necessary to hold the gift God has for us. If we are made in the image of Christ and follow in His footsteps, we must remember that He was made of no reputation. Hebrews 12:2-3\u00a0 tells us to keep our focus on Jesus, the perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. The scripture continues to say we should consider him who endured such opposition from men so that we do not grow weary and lose heart. The joy set before Jesus was our deliverance and freedom from sin.
\nWhat is the joy set before you that would help you endure your own cross? Would transcending the world system, answering to an audience of One, coming into your kingdom calling or helping point others to Christ be enough of a joy?
\nWhat did Jesus do with the shame? He endured it but He despised it. He was going to another place and knew it was leading Him to sit at the right hand of God. We are not to be held back by old companions on the road of victim mentality, self-pity, or shame. Let\u2019s strap on our best running shoes to journey to our new name, a new kingdom, to be seated with Christ. We are being redefined and shedding an old skin that was hard to live up to anyway.
![\"images-3\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hollywsmith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/images-3.jpeg?ssl=1\")
<\/a>\nWhen we see this process in a redemptive light, we will run to make the initial effort to resolve our differences, humble ourselves and break up hardened ground.
\nJesus sat down at the right hand of God. Are you trusting in the finished work of the cross and who you are in Him now? Do insults roll off your back replaced by humility? Have you embraced your thorns, swallowed your pride, resolved your offenses? Then you are ready to represent Him.
\nPsalm 87:6-7 announces, This one was born in Zion. As they make music they will sing, All my fountains are in you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Embracing Your Thorns Humbling ourselves and making the first move to resolve offenses can turn our biggest rival into our greatest cheerleader. What do you have to lose? Often our own pride and caring what others think are obstacles preventing us from doing so. The Bible tells us to break up hardened ground and not […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1222,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=1222","url_meta":{"origin":2193,"position":0},"title":"Sibling Rivalry Resolved","author":"hollysmith","date":"September 11, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I wanted to make my mark in this world, don\u2019t we all? This goal proved a challenge, however, when I seemed to get the short stick in the gifts and natural talents department. I felt like a square peg in a round hole in my competent family. 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I thought I would share it here too and apply it for anyone who wants to speak their testimony. Teach truth\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?cat=18"},"img":{"alt_text":"images-1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hollywsmith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/images-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1725,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=1725","url_meta":{"origin":2193,"position":2},"title":"Lessons of the Desert-God’s Conditioning School","author":"hollysmith","date":"February 23, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Jesus rebuked Peter in Matthew 16:23, \u2026\"you do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men.\" Which do you have in mind? Are you prepared, equipped, toughened for the season ahead? Jesus never said we wouldn't endure a season of difficulty but that after a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?cat=18"},"img":{"alt_text":"desert road","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hollywsmith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/desert-road-300x202.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1827,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=1827","url_meta":{"origin":2193,"position":3},"title":"Promoted to Heaven","author":"hollysmith","date":"October 22, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"A courageous friend died last week. He led many in prayer for healing and believed for his own healing to the end. And yet he was not healed. This fact brought questions and doubts to some around him. My girlfriend called to remind me of a scripture in Hebrews 11\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?cat=18"},"img":{"alt_text":"sunrise","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hollywsmith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/sunrise2-300x169.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2581,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=2581","url_meta":{"origin":2193,"position":4},"title":"Word in Due Season","author":"hollysmith","date":"September 13, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Is. 44:24 This is what the Lord your Redeemer who formed you in the womb says: I am the Lord who confirms the message of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers; who says to Jerusalem: She will be inhabited, and to the cities of Judah: They will\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?cat=18"},"img":{"alt_text":"61428_10201932424216005_209254127_n","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hollywsmith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/61428_10201932424216005_209254127_n.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2366,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=2366","url_meta":{"origin":2193,"position":5},"title":"Listening for God","author":"hollysmith","date":"July 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Is. 57:11 Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me? (NIV) Is. 57:11 Did you forget about me and become unfaithful because you were more afraid of someone else? Have I been silent so long that you no longer fear me? 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