We just reviewed how Paul learned to look up during difficulty, but that's not always enough to sustain joy. At one point, Paul said that while he was in jail,

We were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself. (2 Cor 1:8)

Jeremiah expresses near-despair in Lamentations, even in the same passage where he latter expresses hope. He writes,

My soul is bereft of peace, I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, “Gone is my glory, and my expectation from the Lord.” Remember my affliction and my bitterness,[a]the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me. (Lam 3:17-20)

These words anticipate the desolation that Jesus experienced on the cross.

Darkness is part of the human experience that Jesus enters into for us. For this reason, when you feel alone in your sufferings, you continue to have an Audience of One even as you unite your sufferings with the cross and offer them up to him.

Give up living for yourself

This is the point at which you’re called to give up. Not to give up hope, but give up living for yourself and in your own strength. This is the way of forward of uniting yourself with the cross.

The nature of the problem

Once you've looked up, you have an Audience of One and a measure of consolation, but it's still difficult to move forward when life is uncomfortable. We long to relax after a day well spent, the job done, and circumstances under control. But most of the time, we're not there. Much is undone, life is messy, and circumstances call us to step far out of our comfort zones.

One way to handle this is to give up making comfort a primary goal. Life is a struggle, and in these moments, we can accept that. We can do more than accept this reality--we can embrace the struggle. We do this by giving up living for comfort, but giving ourselves anew to God, even with abandon, and by giving ourselves to others.

Give yourself anew to God

I expect that most, if not all, who are reading this have given their life to God in some intentional way. But we need to do this every day. Even throughout the day. Paul says,

By the mercies of God, present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. (Rom 12:1).

By doing this, we renew our commitment to the cross. We don't need to go looking for the cross--the cross comes to us. But when it does, that's when we can find redemptive meaning in our suffering. This is where we give ourselves more fully to the one who gave himself for us.

Give yourself anew to others

Living for yourself never works well anyway. You'll never be fully satisfied on this side of eternity, so stop making this your aim. Instead, live for God by living for others.

This was Paul's choice when he was in prison. He said that he would rather leave this world and be with Christ, but he made it his intent to stay. Why? He explains:

My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith. (Phil 1:25).

The only reason Paul wanted to continue in this world is to give to others. You can imitate this resolve at any time that you'd rather depart this life altogether. Chrysostom reflects on this choice of Paul. He wrote, “To depart and be with Christ was certainly a reward, while remaining in the flesh meant struggle. Yet such was his longing for Christ that he wanted to defer his reward and remain amid the fight; those were his priorities.”

In moments when you wish that everything would be over now, remember that you still have something to give. You can do something for someone else. Choose a prolonged “death” by embracing the cross, which means living to give.

Give up living in your own strength

When you give yourself anew to God and to others in his name, you have more confidence that God will meet you where you are and strengthen you for the task ahead. This important, because when you feel down, you don't have strength to continue. You're at the end of your line. This is can be a good place to be if it teaches you to find strength from God.

Hold onto these words from Paul:

When I am weak, then I am strong. God’s power is made perfect in weakness. (cf 2 Cor 12:9-11

When we give ourselves to God's work that is bigger than ourselves, we have assurance that God will strengthen us for his work.