5 Jesus Tattoos For Sacrifices and Strength

The Bible tells us “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). It’s important to have faith in Jesus in all circumstances but many of us struggling when we’re dealing with hardships. The choices we make during these seasons of our lives are so important. They can propel you toward God or away from Him. We can find God in the hard times by choosing to trust and hope when don’t know what direction to take. Despite the tattoo debate in the Christian community, Jesus tattoos are still popular among people of faith. These Jesus tattoos represent the sacrifices that He made for us and the strength we can find through Him. Some of these tattoos showcase strength and prosperity. These tattoos can tell an incredible story about your faith. Here are five Jesus tattoos for sacrifice and strength.

Jesus Pulling Peter Out of the Water

There were instances where the apostle Peter moved hastily. Remember, it was Peter who left to walk on the water to Jesus (Matthew 14:28-29) and promptly took His eyes off Jesus and began to sink (Matthew 14:30). When Peter’s attention was diverted from Jesus to the wind and waves around him, his faith began to weaken and he began to sink helplessly into the water. He cried out and appealed to Jesus for help. After grabbing Peter’s hand and assuring his safety, Jesus lightly chastised Peter: “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31-32). When they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. We see in this account that only through Jesus could Peter find his strength and protection. Jesus is the Master of all things, the source our strength.

The Sacred Heart

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The Sacred Heart tattoo is another popular tattoo worn by Catholics, but is not limited to those in the Catholic faith. The Sacred Heart is one of the most widely practiced and well-known Catholic devotions, taking the heart of the resurrected body as the representation of the love by Jesus Christ, which is the heart, pierced in the cross. They symbol represents Jesus Christ’s actual heart as His love and sacrifice for all humanity. The common depiction is of the heart has a circle of thorns that represent the crown of thorns that was placed on Jesus’ heads. It also may have a cross, which represents the crucifixion, representing Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins. Other tattoos may have a flame or light surround it, which represents the divine light of love. Generally, the tattoo of the Sacred Heart will be seen in a portrait of Jesus.

Stairway to Heaven

The stairway to heaven tattoo, also recognized as the gates of heaven tattoo has very deep, symbolic meaning for those who wear them. Some choose to portray the gates upon the clouds or as a door with steps leading up to the sky. It is usually a large tattoo design, usually placed on larger areas of the body: the arms, sides, chest, legs or back. Some designs are simple, while others include a lot of detail, incorporating angels, beams of light, doves and cross imagery to a name a few. Generally, this tattoo symbolizes the person’s faith or is a memorial to remember a lost loved one. The tattoo also serves as inspiration, hope, love and appreciation of someone who passed. What a beautiful symbol of hope and strength.

Rosary

In the Catholic Church, the rosary is one of the most cherished prayers. For Catholics, it is a powerful prayer of intercession to the Blessed Mother. Praying the rosary is promoted as a means of strengthening one’s faith, resisting evil, growing spiritually, and generally benefiting society. The rosary is still the easiest ways to acquire the ancient skills of meditative prayer, and it is believed by Catholics to be the most effective way to gain the graces that this way of prayer can obtain. Many rosary tattoos are worn by Catholics to signify their faith. In some versions of the rosary tattoo, the bead neckless signifies the crucifixion and the crown of thorns, a powerful symbol of the sacrifice God made for us for our sins, in addition to Jesus’ strength.

Cross Anchor

Anchor tattoos are commonly worn by sailors, but what many people don’t realize is that during ancient times, the anchor was being used as a hidden symbol of Christianity. The anchor was an early Christian symbol commonly found in the Roman catacombs and it symbolized safety. This symbol was adapted to represent the hope we have in Christ beyond this life, and is a fitting inscription for a Christian tomb. We see reference of the anchor in Scripture: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:19-20). This tattoo is a symbol of hope and strength.