John‬ ‭8:48-51‬ (‭MSG)‬‬ The Jews then said, “That settles it. We were right all along when we called you a Samaritan and said you were crazy—demon-possessed!” 

Jesus said, “I’m not crazy. I simply honor my Father, while you dishonor me. I am not trying to get anything for myself. God intends something gloriously grand here and is making the decisions that will bring it about. I say this with absolute confidence. If you practice what I’m telling you, you’ll never have to look death in the face.”

When I read the Bible and/or learn about God, if my basis for comparison and understanding is simply my own thoughts and experience, I will never even catch a glimpse of His Kingdom. 

It really is impossible from our perspective of self-preservation and self-glorification to begin to understand a Man who is in no way trying to preserve or glorify himself… “I simply honor my Father.” We must humble ourselves and change our basis of understanding from our sinful understanding and assumptions to a pure and holy intention and understanding. This is not easily done; praise Jesus!, He sends a helper, the Holy Spirit, to help us see past ourselves and lift our eyes and understanding heavenward.

“To know oneself safe amid storm and darkness, amid fire and water, amid disease and pain, even during the approach of death, is to be a Christian, for that is how the Master felt in the hour of darkness, because he knew it as fact.” -George MacDonald, The Laird’s Inheritance

We are loved by a much kinder God than we really have the capacity to understand, and this truth leads us to a most beautiful place… surrender.