April 18, 2025 • 14 mins
On this Good Friday, we pause not to rush ahead to Easter, but to dwell in the shadow of the cross—a place of heartbreak, silence, and transformation. James invites us to reflect on where we find ourselves in the story of suffering: in the midst of it, recovering from it, or anticipating what is to come. With honesty and compassion, this episode explores what we may be called to release—illusions, attachments, or stories that no longer serve us—as part of the sacred invitation to transformation. Wherever you are, remember: even here, you are infinitely precious and unconditionally loved.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Intro (00:00):
Welcome to the Infinitely Precious Podcast produced by
(00:03):
Infinitely Precious LLC. Yourhost is James Henry. Remember,
you are infinitely precious andunconditionally loved for the
gift you already are.
James (00:12):
Hello, beloved. I welcome you today. It's me, James. And
today I wanted to reflect abouthow on Good Friday we stand
still even to this day in theshadow of the cross. It's a
place of heartbreak, ofunanswered questions, a place of
(00:35):
endings not yet redeemed.
Good Friday is a day in which wepause not to rush towards the
Easter resurrection story, butinstead to pay attention to the
(00:56):
aching silence and the weight ofsuffering. Today I invite you to
reflect with me on where do youfind yourself in this story of
suffering? So I think for manyof us there are probably more
(01:19):
places you might find yourself,but I sort of thought three
places that we might findourselves in the story of
suffering. The first one isright in the midst of it. Maybe
you're in the middle ofsomething that's very heavy in
your life.
The betrayal is still fresh. Theloss is still raw. You're
(01:43):
carrying a cross of your own andit's not a theory. It's not just
a biblical story about whathappened to Jesus. It's
something that is happening inyour life.
You are feeling the pain andyou're carrying it. When I think
about the day, you know, it'skind of a rush to judgment day
(02:06):
for Jesus. And then he mustcarry his cross, and after the
beatings and all of the thingsthat go into the preparation
leading up to his being hung ona cross, he then is asked to, in
his weakened state, carry hiscross and he can't even quite
make it there. The weight of thecross heavy on his shoulder. And
(02:31):
perhaps you can identify withthat.
You can identify with somethingyou're carrying right now on
your shoulders that already feelbeaten down, and it is a heavy
burden. I want to invite you tojust be honest. What hurts right
(02:53):
now? What are you feeling? Whatis weighing heavy on you if you
find yourself in the midst ofsuffering right now?
Can you speak of it aloud toGod? Can you cry out to God,
whether it's in anger,frustration, pain, uncertainty,
(03:16):
wherever you find yourself inthe midst of that pain and
suffering, can you call out toGod? Can you share that, as it
were, with God in whatever formprayer takes? A second place we
might find ourselves is inrecovery from suffering. Perhaps
(03:37):
the worst of whatever you aresuffering is behind you, but the
wound remains and you're awareof it.
It may be fresh, It may not evenbe fresh. It may be older, but
like a heavy burden, you stillcarry it. Think of the disciples
(03:59):
hiding in fear, not sure whatcomes next. Your life had been
perhaps measured by some certainthing, and now it's gone. And
you suffered through the loss ofthat thing, that relationship,
that person in your life, andyou're not still sure what is
(04:20):
next.
And you're in that process oftrying to catch your breath,
you're breathing again, butstill afraid perhaps to hope.
That place of healing andrecovery. And it's an
opportunity for you to perhapsreflect if you're in that place
(04:43):
of recovering from suffering,what has shifted, what has
changed for you, What part ofyou survived? And what seems to
be missing? The third movementof suffering that I'll bring up
is one where we can anticipatecoming.
(05:07):
We're standing on the edge ofsomething, something we fear.
Perhaps it's a diagnosis, agoodbye, a choice you know that
will cost you something. What doyou need to face what's coming?
Courage? Grace?
(05:29):
Community? How will you in thismoment of anticipated suffering
prepare yourself for whatever itis to come, for the hard
decision, for the fortitude tostand up in the midst of it. It
is not as easy as some mightimagine with that anticipation
(05:55):
of what may yet come, but yousee it in the distance. Perhaps
you find yourself in the sameplace as Jesus did in the
garden. Not exactly the sameplace, but in a similar place
where what you see ahead, thesuffering that lies in the
future, is something you ask notto have to suffer.
(06:17):
Take this cup away from me. Idon't want to do it but not my
will, That crying out before thesuffering comes. Wherever you
find yourself in the midst ofsuffering, recovering from
suffering or anticipatingsuffering, they're all places in
(06:41):
the story and there are placesthat you can be and that you
have the strength and resilienceto stand up in the midst of.
Now, second maybe having locatedourselves in the story, a second
question to ask is what must wedie to? In the midst of this
(07:04):
suffering, what must we let go?
The cross wasn't just an event,a story we tell ourselves once a
year on Good Friday. It was aninvitation. Jesus invited us not
only to engage his suffering andour own, but to enter into our
(07:28):
own transformation, which comesand happens oftentimes through
the pain and suffering. Don'ttell that to someone who's in
the midst of suffering. And ifyou're in the midst of
suffering, I'm not minimizingthat by saying this is an
opportunity to be transformed.
I'm saying that whether we likeit or not, suffering and pain do
(07:49):
transform us. In the midst ofit, what are the things that no
longer serve us? And can werelease them? What illusions
about our life or about theworld in which we live must we
let die? We've maybe beenkeeping them on life support in
(08:10):
our system, trying to hold on tothem, but they clearly no longer
serve us.
What must we let die? Whatattachments are we being called
to release? Attached to aspecific idea of what future
looks like. Attached to aspecific relationship that we
(08:34):
want to make work no matterwhat, attached to a certain kind
of work that we do, assumingthat that work defines us. What
are the attachments which we maynot even have a choice about
releasing.
What are they? Perhaps anotherquestion, another way to look is
(08:56):
what stories have we toldourselves about God, ourselves
and others that no longer holdtruth? Have we told ourselves
that this suffering we're goingthrough is some kind of
punishment for something else wedid in life? And we realize this
(09:18):
suffering just happened. Itcan't be a punishment.
Letting someone else blame usfor the place we find ourselves
No longer holds true for us.It's kind of the story of what
Job's friends told him. Must beyour fault, buddy, that for the
reason you're suffering andlosing all of these things.
(09:41):
Those are not good friends, thefriends that tell you it's all
your fault. When you'resuffering, you're suffering.
What are the ideas about God,about yourself, about your life
that are no longer holding true?And can you release them? Dying
(10:02):
to these things, releasing thesethings is not about shame. It's
about releasing those thingsthat no longer bring us life,
whatever it may be. It may takea lot of courage, but it's not
(10:25):
about shame.
It's not about guilt. It's aboutreleasing the things that no
longer can tell us who we are.Some things must die for
resurrection to become possible.As one of my favorite preaching
teachers said to me, BobbyMacLean, said to the whole class
(10:47):
in a class about preaching inthe black tradition, he said,
You cannot have Easter withoutGood Friday. You cannot have
resurrection withoutcrucifixion.
Letting go of the things, dyingto the things that stand in the
way of a future is not somethingwe can do. So perhaps you need
(11:09):
to let go of the need to have itall figured out because no
matter how many times you aresure you have it figured out,
something will throw a wrenchinto that. You don't have it all
figured out. I was certain in mymid twenties I had figured out
who God was and what God was allabout, and over and over again
my limited image of God has beenbroken open further and further
(11:30):
and further and further. Perhapsyou need to release
perfectionism in your life.
As a recovering perfectionistmyself, all that perfectionism
really does for me is it makesme delay doing something because
I don't think it'll be perfect.So I put it off and then there's
(11:51):
an excuse why it isn't good, andthat excuse is that I put it off
until so late with so littleeffort that it just didn't quite
turn out. Surrendering control.Most of the things in our lives
are way beyond our control. Welike the illusion of control.
It's another one of thoseillusions we need to let go of,
(12:14):
but the idea that we're incontrol is an illusion. Can we
let go of it? Can we let go ofand end the cycles of bitterness
and blame in our lives? Can youdo that? See to me this is why
we do Good Friday.
(12:34):
It may be the once a yearopportunity for us to reflect on
the suffering in our lives, thesuffering we're going through
that we went through in the pastor that may be coming. The
changes that cause usconsternation and fear about the
uncertainty that lies ahead.It's an opportunity for us to
(12:55):
take seriously, to takeseriously what is in the midst
of it all. So wherever you findyourself in the story of the
suffering of Good Friday,wherever it is hitting home for
you, I hope you'll take itseriously, not run away from it,
not rush ahead to resurrection,but actually learn whatever
lesson it is that maybe once youhear the story you won't feel so
(13:19):
alone because Jesus suffered. Hewas concerned in anticipation of
the suffering and he was alsoyou know, the opportunity for
healing is in the ultimateletting go.
So take a moment today, if youwill, and reflect. What do I
(13:41):
need to let go of? Where am I inthe midst of sorrow and
suffering? Can I say that aloud?Can I call to God in the midst
of it?
And release those things that nolonger serve me. I encourage
you. Let this be a time whereyou don't turn away from the
(14:05):
pain, but you give back. Youhold it, stay with it until you
have passed through to the otherside. Great courage and
resilience to you this day.
Remember that in the midst ofsuffering though you may not
(14:25):
feel it, you are infinitelyprecious and unconditionally
loved for the gift you alreadyare. I wish you all the very
best. Until the next time.
Welcome to the Infinitely Precious Podcast produced by
(00:03):
Infinitely Precious LLC. Yourhost is James Henry. Remember,
you are infinitely precious andunconditionally loved for the
gift you already are.
James (00:12):
Hello, beloved. I welcome you today. It's me, James. And
today I wanted to reflect abouthow on Good Friday we stand
still even to this day in theshadow of the cross. It's a
place of heartbreak, ofunanswered questions, a place of
(00:35):
endings not yet redeemed.
Good Friday is a day in which wepause not to rush towards the
Easter resurrection story, butinstead to pay attention to the
(00:56):
aching silence and the weight ofsuffering. Today I invite you to
reflect with me on where do youfind yourself in this story of
suffering? So I think for manyof us there are probably more
(01:19):
places you might find yourself,but I sort of thought three
places that we might findourselves in the story of
suffering. The first one isright in the midst of it. Maybe
you're in the middle ofsomething that's very heavy in
your life.
The betrayal is still fresh. Theloss is still raw. You're
(01:43):
carrying a cross of your own andit's not a theory. It's not just
a biblical story about whathappened to Jesus. It's
something that is happening inyour life.
You are feeling the pain andyou're carrying it. When I think
about the day, you know, it'skind of a rush to judgment day
(02:06):
for Jesus. And then he mustcarry his cross, and after the
beatings and all of the thingsthat go into the preparation
leading up to his being hung ona cross, he then is asked to, in
his weakened state, carry hiscross and he can't even quite
make it there. The weight of thecross heavy on his shoulder. And
(02:31):
perhaps you can identify withthat.
You can identify with somethingyou're carrying right now on
your shoulders that already feelbeaten down, and it is a heavy
burden. I want to invite you tojust be honest. What hurts right
(02:53):
now? What are you feeling? Whatis weighing heavy on you if you
find yourself in the midst ofsuffering right now?
Can you speak of it aloud toGod? Can you cry out to God,
whether it's in anger,frustration, pain, uncertainty,
(03:16):
wherever you find yourself inthe midst of that pain and
suffering, can you call out toGod? Can you share that, as it
were, with God in whatever formprayer takes? A second place we
might find ourselves is inrecovery from suffering. Perhaps
(03:37):
the worst of whatever you aresuffering is behind you, but the
wound remains and you're awareof it.
It may be fresh, It may not evenbe fresh. It may be older, but
like a heavy burden, you stillcarry it. Think of the disciples
(03:59):
hiding in fear, not sure whatcomes next. Your life had been
perhaps measured by some certainthing, and now it's gone. And
you suffered through the loss ofthat thing, that relationship,
that person in your life, andyou're not still sure what is
(04:20):
next.
And you're in that process oftrying to catch your breath,
you're breathing again, butstill afraid perhaps to hope.
That place of healing andrecovery. And it's an
opportunity for you to perhapsreflect if you're in that place
(04:43):
of recovering from suffering,what has shifted, what has
changed for you, What part ofyou survived? And what seems to
be missing? The third movementof suffering that I'll bring up
is one where we can anticipatecoming.
(05:07):
We're standing on the edge ofsomething, something we fear.
Perhaps it's a diagnosis, agoodbye, a choice you know that
will cost you something. What doyou need to face what's coming?
Courage? Grace?
(05:29):
Community? How will you in thismoment of anticipated suffering
prepare yourself for whatever itis to come, for the hard
decision, for the fortitude tostand up in the midst of it. It
is not as easy as some mightimagine with that anticipation
(05:55):
of what may yet come, but yousee it in the distance. Perhaps
you find yourself in the sameplace as Jesus did in the
garden. Not exactly the sameplace, but in a similar place
where what you see ahead, thesuffering that lies in the
future, is something you ask notto have to suffer.
(06:17):
Take this cup away from me. Idon't want to do it but not my
will, That crying out before thesuffering comes. Wherever you
find yourself in the midst ofsuffering, recovering from
suffering or anticipatingsuffering, they're all places in
(06:41):
the story and there are placesthat you can be and that you
have the strength and resilienceto stand up in the midst of.
Now, second maybe having locatedourselves in the story, a second
question to ask is what must wedie to? In the midst of this
(07:04):
suffering, what must we let go?
The cross wasn't just an event,a story we tell ourselves once a
year on Good Friday. It was aninvitation. Jesus invited us not
only to engage his suffering andour own, but to enter into our
(07:28):
own transformation, which comesand happens oftentimes through
the pain and suffering. Don'ttell that to someone who's in
the midst of suffering. And ifyou're in the midst of
suffering, I'm not minimizingthat by saying this is an
opportunity to be transformed.
I'm saying that whether we likeit or not, suffering and pain do
(07:49):
transform us. In the midst ofit, what are the things that no
longer serve us? And can werelease them? What illusions
about our life or about theworld in which we live must we
let die? We've maybe beenkeeping them on life support in
(08:10):
our system, trying to hold on tothem, but they clearly no longer
serve us.
What must we let die? Whatattachments are we being called
to release? Attached to aspecific idea of what future
looks like. Attached to aspecific relationship that we
(08:34):
want to make work no matterwhat, attached to a certain kind
of work that we do, assumingthat that work defines us. What
are the attachments which we maynot even have a choice about
releasing.
What are they? Perhaps anotherquestion, another way to look is
(08:56):
what stories have we toldourselves about God, ourselves
and others that no longer holdtruth? Have we told ourselves
that this suffering we're goingthrough is some kind of
punishment for something else wedid in life? And we realize this
(09:18):
suffering just happened. Itcan't be a punishment.
Letting someone else blame usfor the place we find ourselves
No longer holds true for us.It's kind of the story of what
Job's friends told him. Must beyour fault, buddy, that for the
reason you're suffering andlosing all of these things.
(09:41):
Those are not good friends, thefriends that tell you it's all
your fault. When you'resuffering, you're suffering.
What are the ideas about God,about yourself, about your life
that are no longer holding true?And can you release them? Dying
(10:02):
to these things, releasing thesethings is not about shame. It's
about releasing those thingsthat no longer bring us life,
whatever it may be. It may takea lot of courage, but it's not
(10:25):
about shame.
It's not about guilt. It's aboutreleasing the things that no
longer can tell us who we are.Some things must die for
resurrection to become possible.As one of my favorite preaching
teachers said to me, BobbyMacLean, said to the whole class
(10:47):
in a class about preaching inthe black tradition, he said,
You cannot have Easter withoutGood Friday. You cannot have
resurrection withoutcrucifixion.
Letting go of the things, dyingto the things that stand in the
way of a future is not somethingwe can do. So perhaps you need
(11:09):
to let go of the need to have itall figured out because no
matter how many times you aresure you have it figured out,
something will throw a wrenchinto that. You don't have it all
figured out. I was certain in mymid twenties I had figured out
who God was and what God was allabout, and over and over again
my limited image of God has beenbroken open further and further
(11:30):
and further and further. Perhapsyou need to release
perfectionism in your life.
As a recovering perfectionistmyself, all that perfectionism
really does for me is it makesme delay doing something because
I don't think it'll be perfect.So I put it off and then there's
(11:51):
an excuse why it isn't good, andthat excuse is that I put it off
until so late with so littleeffort that it just didn't quite
turn out. Surrendering control.Most of the things in our lives
are way beyond our control. Welike the illusion of control.
It's another one of thoseillusions we need to let go of,
(12:14):
but the idea that we're incontrol is an illusion. Can we
let go of it? Can we let go ofand end the cycles of bitterness
and blame in our lives? Can youdo that? See to me this is why
we do Good Friday.
(12:34):
It may be the once a yearopportunity for us to reflect on
the suffering in our lives, thesuffering we're going through
that we went through in the pastor that may be coming. The
changes that cause usconsternation and fear about the
uncertainty that lies ahead.It's an opportunity for us to
(12:55):
take seriously, to takeseriously what is in the midst
of it all. So wherever you findyourself in the story of the
suffering of Good Friday,wherever it is hitting home for
you, I hope you'll take itseriously, not run away from it,
not rush ahead to resurrection,but actually learn whatever
lesson it is that maybe once youhear the story you won't feel so
(13:19):
alone because Jesus suffered. Hewas concerned in anticipation of
the suffering and he was alsoyou know, the opportunity for
healing is in the ultimateletting go.
So take a moment today, if youwill, and reflect. What do I
(13:41):
need to let go of? Where am I inthe midst of sorrow and
suffering? Can I say that aloud?Can I call to God in the midst
of it?
And release those things that nolonger serve me. I encourage
you. Let this be a time whereyou don't turn away from the
(14:05):
pain, but you give back. Youhold it, stay with it until you
have passed through to the otherside. Great courage and
resilience to you this day.
Remember that in the midst ofsuffering though you may not
(14:25):
feel it, you are infinitelyprecious and unconditionally
loved for the gift you alreadyare. I wish you all the very
best. Until the next time.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.