Jesus “Gets” Suffering

Hebrews 13:12 So Jesus also suffered outside the city. He died to make his people holy with his own blood.

Suffering is one part of life that frankly, we could live without. Or at least … we think we can. But it’s an immutable law of life that everyone – and it doesn’t matter who they are, where they were born, what their circumstances may be, rich or poor, black or white, male or female – everyone on planet Earth ends up suffering at some point. Nobody’s immune.

Not everything in life will go the way we’d planned, and more often than not, that deviation from the good plans we have for ourselves, well, it involves suffering.

One of the most common questions that I’m asked from right around the world is this: Why does God allow suffering?

I can give you the theologically correct answer, that when humanity first sinned against God through Adam and Eve, that rebellion brought suffering into the world. Because of sin, we live in a fallen world and that means suffering.

But honestly, how much does that help, when you’re really suffering? Why does God let people suffer in circumstances that seem so unfair, so brutal, so cold? Theology doesn’t have a meaningful answer to that, any more than physics can tell you exactly how many stars there are in the universe, or medicine can tell you how your incredible memory really works.

But what I can tell you, is that God didn’t even spare His own Son from suffering. God Himself suffered, when He became a man, specifically in order to be nailed to that Cross so that your sin and mine could be forgiven.

So Jesus also suffered outside the city. He died to make his people holy with his own blood. (Hebrews 13:12)

And boy, did He suffer. But it wasn’t by mistake. It wasn’t some great surprise to God. It wasn’t a case of “Whoops, what went wrong here?” God’s Plan A for Jesus His Son … was always to come to this earth, to show us who God really is, and to suffer humiliation, ridicule, torture and a brutal death.

It was always the plan – from before time began.

So when you’re wondering to yourself, “Does God really know how much this hurts?” the answer is – without any shadow of a doubt … absolutely He does. Not just because as God He knows it all, but because as God, He suffered for you.

Jesus “gets” suffering.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.

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Berni Dymet

Wendy, Psalm 73 is for you: God is so good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure. But I almost slipped and lost my ...

Wendy, Psalm 73 is for you:

God is so good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure. But I almost slipped and lost my balance. I almost fell into sin. I saw that wicked people were successful, and I became jealous of those proud people. They are healthy. They don’t have to struggle to survive. They don’t suffer like the rest of us. They don’t have troubles like other people. So they are proud and hateful. This is as easy to see as the jewels and fancy clothes they wear. If they see something they like, they go and take it. They do whatever they want. They make fun of others and say cruel things about them. In their pride they make plans to hurt people. They think they are gods! They think they are the rulers of the earth. Even God’s people turn to them and do what they say. Those evil people say, “God does not know what we are doing! God Most High does not know!” Those proud people are wicked, but they are rich and getting richer. Clearly, then, I gain nothing by keeping my thoughts pure! What good is it to keep myself from sin? God, I suffer all day long, and you punish me every morning. I wanted to tell others these things, but that would have made me a traitor to your people. I tried hard to understand all this, but it was too hard for me. But then, God, I went to your Temple, and I understood what will happen to the wicked. Clearly, you have put them in danger. You make it easy for them to fall and be destroyed. Trouble can come suddenly, and they will be ruined. Terrible things can happen to them, and they will be finished. Then they will be like a dream that we forget when we wake up. You will make them disappear like the monsters in our dreams. – I was so stupid. I thought about such people and became upset. God, I was upset and angry with you! I acted like a senseless animal. But I am always with you. You hold my hand. You lead me and give me good advice, and later you will lead me to glory. In heaven, God, I have only you. And if I am with you, what on earth could I want? Maybe my mind and body will become weak, but God is my source of strength. He is mine forever! God, people who leave you will be lost. You will destroy all who are not faithful to you. As for me, all I need is to be close to God. I have made the Lord God my place of safety. And, God, I will tell about all that you have done.

Wendy

Ok but that does not answer the question as to why people suffer why bad guys get away with things. There is a lot of ...

Carol Bayley

Dear Berni. I look forward to your daily Fresh messages, and even forward them to a friend of mine in Amsterdam every ...