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Since I got Born Again, most of the crosses I have been seeing have been beautiful and usually painted white. However, some crosses were odd to me because Jesus was still hanging there in bloody agony. Remember that in Gospels, plenty of time is spent describing the torture that led to the Calvary and the pain Jesus suffered while nailed to a piece of wood like a common criminal. I always asked:
Why did the Trinity allow Jesus to die such a shameful and painful death?" Why did they not just save mankind without the eternal blood sacrifice?
I remember too that during His temptation in the wilderness, Satan offered Jesus a quick and fast route to glory if only He bowed down to worship him. Even though that route would have meant His avoiding the pain, humiliation and agony of the cross, Jesus chose the longer route of THORNS to the THRONES. So, I learnt a valuable lesson: That His rise to the throne did not come as a result of His taking the elevator - a fast, quick and easy road. He took the stairs and endured every bit of pain along the way. The stairs signify the longer route. It signifies the painful and long/lonely road to ridicule. Most times in life and ministry, God will not take you to success and greatness via the elevator (an easy/quick road). But He chooses to pass you through the stairs of life, signifying the step by step route of breaking, brushing, bending, crushing, and moulding for the ultimate destination of heaven at last. That is the reason for the longer route. In (Exo13 vs 17 says:
And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near...."
God refused to lead the Jews through the shorter route (elevator) but He led them through the stairs (longer route)! Such too is the story of your life!
God's goal for you is not just success on earth, but heaven at last. The reason why Jehovah passes us through great agony is to make sure that you conform to the image of His son, Jesus Christ. In fact, Adamic nature cannot enter heaven and you are not yet perfect. In fact, without trials, nobody will make heaven because your flesh will not serve God without battles.
Though unwanted, it is battles that transform you from glory to glory!
see Hebrew 2:10-11: "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in perfect through suffering. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sancitified are all one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.