Look at Simon carrying that cross, and you see a picture of what the Church has been doing for two thousand years. We are cross-bearers, following after Jesus.

Mark this well, Christian: Jesus does not suffer to spare you from suffering. He bears a cross not so you can escape yours, but so you can endure it. Christ saves you from sin, yes—but not from sorrow. Remember that. Expect to suffer.

But here's your comfort: In your case, just like Simon's, it is not your cross you carry. It is Christ's cross. When people mock you for your faith, when following Jesus brings ridicule down on your head, remember—this is not your cross. This is Christ's cross. And how delightful it is to carry the cross of our Lord Jesus!

You carry it after him. What blessed company you keep! Your path is marked with his footprints. The bloodstain from his shoulder is on that heavy beam. 'Tis his cross, and he goes before you like a shepherd before his sheep. So take up your cross daily. Follow him.

And don't forget this—you bear the cross in partnership. Some scholars believe Simon only carried one end of the cross, not the whole weight. That seems likely. Christ would have borne the heavier end against the crossbeam, while Simon carried the lighter end.

And that's exactly how it works for you. You only carry the light end of the cross. Christ bore the heavier end. Always.

One more thing. Simon carried that cross for what, maybe half an hour? But it gave him lasting honor. His name is remembered forever. The cross you carry is only for a little while at most. Soon—very soon—you'll exchange it for a crown. For glory.

So we should love the cross! Instead of shrinking from it, we should count it very dear. Because it's working for us "a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."