We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne.

Have you ever been driving late at night where it’s very, very dark? Perhaps you were driving down an old country road and there were no streetlights, so you flipped on your bright lights. It makes it easier to see, doesn’t it? When you flip on your brights, you can see further down that dark road. It makes things a little clearer, too. WATCH OUT! Whew! You nearly hit that opossum back there! Good thing you had your bright lights on so you could see clearly!

When you’re looking down the road, you want to see things clearly. This goes for more than just the asphalt road on which you drive. It is true for the road of life, too. You want to see things clearly on the path of your life ahead. We don’t get to see the full scope of God’s plan for our lives, but we can—thanks to Scripture—see some things very clearly. Seeing clearly makes it easier to understand why we might be going through situations and circumstances that are less than pleasant.

Jesus could see the road of His life clearly and He knew where it was headed: Golgotha. He knew that His life was headed for a Roman cross in Jerusalem. Jesus, the leader of our faith, could see the excruciating torture of the cross, but He deliberately set out for Jerusalem and what awaited Him there. He could see the cross in His future, but He could also see the joy beyond it. The joy of the reconciliation of God and men. He endured the cross and its shame as though it were nothing because of the waiting joy.

Friend, you are probably facing some tough circumstances in your life right now. It may feel as though this season of difficulty and suffering will never end. Rest assured that there is joy on the other side of your situation. Jesus endured the cross because joy was waiting for Him. Call on Him to give you the strength to endure your season because there is joy waiting for you on the other side.

What you’re going through is tough, but Christ can give you the strength to make it through. Can you see it? Can you see the joy waiting for you down the road? Flip on your brights so you can see it clearly. There is joy waiting for you.

By Shawn Cornett, Bible League International staff, Indiana U.S.