THE PATH OF MOST RESISTANCE

If you had asked me years ago, “where in the world would you want to visit before you leave this earth?”, I would have said Israel. It has been on my list of places that I must see for a long time. This December, I finally got my chance.

My church planned a missions conference in Dubai, which is the main reason why I traveled to the Middle East. At that conference, we got to encourage members of the established Dubai Church. We also held an official send off for those who made the decision to move their lives to the Middle East to evangelize the nation of Bahrain. It was a momentous event! In addition to what was happening in Dubai, a group of about 55 of us went to Jerusalem to take full advantage of our time in the Middle East. This leg of the trip was unforgettable because I got to walk on the same streets that Jesus did when he was physically on the earth. Still feels surreal. 

We arrived at midday, dropped off our things at the AirBNB and headed out to get some authentic Israeli food. I had a salad with tuna, sweet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, eggplant, parsley, cucumbers, a hard boiled egg and lemon dressing. It was delicious and the place had amazing hot chocolate too.

After that, we walked around to explore and came across a street market that was decked out in Christmas decor. They even played popular Christmas songs. So cute! We saw a woman making something that looked like Crepes, but they’re called Blintzes. All this time I thought it was only a French thing. Who knew! 

We could have waited until the next day to go to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is one of the sites that is said to be where Jesus was crucified and buried. I couldn’t wait, so we went there the same night! A Catholic group built a church around this site. It was very well-kept and visitors from all over the world came to pay homage to Jesus. It was an emotional moment looking at what seemed to be an underground casket, but I have to say, I don’t believe this is truly where Jesus was buried. There is another location in the city where Jesus was really buried and there are historical facts to back it up. I got to visit that site as well. But this was a nice place to commemorate the biblical event.

After this, I went to the Via Dolorosa, which means Sorrowful Way or Way of Suffering. This is the very street that historians say Jesus walked down, bloody with the cross on his back, making his way to Golgotha to be crucified. 

“After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.” Matthew 27:31 

I pictured him walking, or barely walking rather, with the weight of the world physically on his back. He felt excruciating pain and he was exhausted. What comes to mind is that he didn’t even have to experience any of this. He chose this. He chose to feel and live every moment of it, and walk every step of it. He volunteered to do that for me. 

I can’t help but to think about what I do when I face a difficult road on my journey of life. I try to avoid it at any cost. I oppose pain. I don’t want anything to do with it. When I previously faced a break up in a relationship, my approach was to rip off the bandaid quickly and keep it moving–essentially avoiding the hardship. When I was struggling in the worst bouts of depression in 2020 and 2021, I didn’t want to endure it. I just wanted to sleep it off, hoping it would just fade away when I woke up. I’ve also discovered that avoiding the heaviness of life is one of the reasons why I’m indifferent at times when it comes to marriage. This is because I know there will be good times, but I also know that there will be difficult times as well. 

In the moment, I can be oblivious that facing pain is one of the things that draws us closer to Jesus. How? One, Jesus is the one to cling to in those times of anguish, which draws us nearer to him. 

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

“The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:9

But two, he can relate to whatever I’m feeling in those moments because he felt that heaviness too. Ever feel closer to someone who can connect with your experience in a deep way, because they’ve gone through the same thing? The perfect person every time is Jesus. 

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” Hebrews 4:15

Jesus wasn’t indifferent. He was intentional. He didn’t avoid pain, heaviness or chose the easier route. He chose the Via Dolorosa, The Sorrowful Way–The Way of Suffering. 

The Via Dolorosa wasn’t just a street. This was the path that Jesus chose in order for us to be together–for us to know each other on a deep level. He faced the road that led to death so I and you could walk a road that leads to life, with Him.