He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.Isaiah 53:3
No one is exempt from suffering. It's just a matter of when and how. But no other area of life causes us to consider God like suffering. When we are in the midst of unbearable circumstances, it seems like God is so far away from us. Yet, he is usually the first person we call on to relieve us from the hurt and the pain.
While suffering commonly causes us to look for someone greater, it can also cause us to retreat. We often withdraw from others and try to fight their suffering in isolation. But God never intended for us to do that. It may not seem like God cares about your suffering, but he does. God cared enough about your suffering that he allowed his son to take on the ultimate suffering.
Some of us may be experiencing physical or emotional pain right now, but nothing compares to the pain of being rejected to the point of murder. Jesus experienced pain like none of us can imagine. He actually became sin and had to endure being separated from God during that time. This week is traditionally known as Passion Week because it is the week Jesus was crucified for us.
Jesus knows first-hand what it's like to suffer alone. He does not want you to experience that. He died so that we will never have to be separated from God. If you are experiencing any type of suffering, talk to Jesus about your pain. No one can understand what you are going through like Jesus. Speak honestly with him and allow him to heal you from the inside out.
A Prayer for Today
Lord, thank you for enduring the ultimate suffering so that I don't have to suffer alone. I know that there is no pain that I can experience that you can't heal. I find comfort in the fact that you are always listening whenever I need you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
