There is something in us that wants to rush to the end of the story.
We love Easter morning. We love empty tombs. We love victory songs.
But Lent invites us to slow down. To walk — not run — with Jesus toward the cross.
Our culture does not like slow transformation. We want quick fixes. Instant progress. Immediate results. But the deepest work of God in a human heart rarely happens overnight. And Jesus never promised a shortcut. He promised life. But the road to that life runs through surrender.
Before Jesus ever carried a wooden cross on His shoulders, He carried a settled resolve in His heart. The cross was not forced on Him. It was chosen. And before we celebrate what the cross accomplishes for our salvation, we must wrestle with what it requires of our discipleship.