“Forgive me, Lord, but I just can’t bear this cross anymore”.

God heard her prayer, said it was all right and asked her to come with Him. She found herself in the presence of Jesus, Who looked upon her with loving eyes.

“Jesus, please forgive me, but I can’t bear this cross anymore”. Jesus told her that He understood and took the cross from her.

Jesus then showed her a place where there were countless crosses. He told her to look around and find a cross that she thought she could bear. The woman looked upon the crosses available and shuddered.

There were huge, dark crosses…some with thorns…some with nails and some too awful to even describe. Then, her eyes fell upon a small cross, one she thought she could bear.

“Jesus”, she said, “I think I can bear that cross”, as she pointed to the small cross she had found. Jesus smiled at her, placed His hand on her shoulder and replied, “That is the cross you just gave me”.

†