Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NASB)
Lost and alone,
insecure and inferior,
worried and anxious,
fearful and worthless......
human flesh feelings of despair and defeat.
Everyone experiences these emotions at some point in life. Sometimes sufferings blanket us in darkness. Intense distress feels like rejection and abandonment. We wonder if anyone cares.
Someone knows and cares about you!
Really? How can anyone understand unless they’ve “walked in my shoes?” It’s hard to believe that anyone could be aware of our personal hardships. But there is Someone who understands, Someone who’s actually “walked in our shoes.” He knows and cares about you. His name is Jesus and He is the Savior of the world.
Jesus, God’s own Son, entered the world that He Himself created (John 1:1-5).
He experienced birth, life, and death (Matthew 2, Luke 1-2, Matthew 27-28).
He arose from the dead (Mark 16, Romans 8:34).
He was fully human, experiencing happiness and pain, highs and lows (Hebrews 2).
He experienced hunger, weariness, loneliness, and temptation in the desert (Luke 4:1-13).
He agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26, Luke 22).
He felt forsaken and abandoned on the cross (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34).
Is it possible that this Jesus truly understands mortal pain, my pain, your pain?
“Christ became what we are that He might make us what He is,” said Athanasius, the Bishop of ancient Alexandria, Egypt and defender of the Christian faith. Jesus chose to put on our human flesh in order to give us the chance to be filled with His divine nature. Through His sacrifice (becoming a human, dying for our sins, and arising to new life), He offered to the world the plan of salvation from sin, death, and despair.
Jesus offers deliverance from desperate feelings (Habakkuk 3:1-3, Romans 11:27).
He extends mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:16).
He provides hope (Psalm 71:5), strength (Isaiah 40:29), and joy (Psalm 51:12).
He grants salvation from the sins of your past (2 Timothy 3:15).
He loves you and desires you spend eternity with Him (John 3:16).
Believe it or not, there is Someone who knows and cares about you. He waits with open arms for you. If you haven’t already, begin to search for Him (Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 6:33). And return next week for more good news about the One who understands you.