Jesus wept. (John 11:35 NKJV) The shortest verse in the Bible but yet so powerful. Why did Jesus cry? Because he was saddened at the death of his friend that he loved (John 11:3,5, 36), the sadness of his friends, the loss of dreams that they all had. Jesus knows our pain and sadness as we struggle with the same things. The loss of our child's innocence, our dreams for their future, and the overwhelming sadness that we feel because of all these circumstances and the poor choices that they've made. Jesus knows. He's felt pain, sorrow, separation, loss, but yet He lived as an example to us. We can overcome because he overcame. He tells us that we are more than conquerors.
We can see part of the reasoning for some of our suffering here.*
Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40 NKJV)
Martha never lost faith. She believed that God would do whatever Jesus asked. Likewise, we must believe that Jesus is praying for us (John 17:20-26).
These are the words to a song by Jeremy Camp that I knew I loved the first time I heard it.
All the bitter weary ways
endless striving day by day
you barely have the strength to pray
in the valley low
how hard your fight has been
how deep the pain within
wounds that no one else has seen
hurts too much to show
all the doubt you're standing in between
And all the weight that brings you to your knees
HE KNOWS, HE KNOWS
EVERY HURT AND EVERY STING
HE HAS WALKED THE SUFFERING
HE KNOWS, HE KNOWS
LET YOUR BURDENS COME UNDONE
LIFT YOUR EYES UP TO THE ONE
WHO KNOWS
HE KNOWS
we may faint and we may sink
feel the pain and near the brink
but the dark begins to shrink
when you find the one who knows
the chains of doubt that held you in between
one by one are starting to break free
every time that you feel forsaken
every time that you feel alone
He is near to the broken hearted
every tear
He knows…
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=WPLKGGNX This is the link to the story behind that song. He says it much better than I can.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DswtbFUPo3Y This is the link to the song itself.
Let's give our hurts to Jesus. Let Him take those hurts to the Father on our behalf as He is ever interceding for us (Romans 8:34).
I'm still praying for my son on a daily basis, as I am for all of us who are traveling this road. There is purpose in this journey. Let's not waste it by being distracted in the wilderness and losing faith. God is still there, and He knows our hurts, pain, frustration, and impatience. He's still with us in the wilderness even when we don't feel His presence. Jeremiah 31:2 says that there's grace in the wilderness. There's grace for our loved ones and there's grace for us.
He knows, and more than that, He cares more for us and our loved ones than even we do.
*I'm not suggesting that suffering comes from God. If it's good, it's God. If it's bad, it's the devil. God gives good gifts (Matthew 7:11). The devil is the author of lies and confusion (John 8:44, 1 Corinthians 14:33). We live in a fallen world and battle the world, our flesh, and the devil (1 John 2:16). What we do with the suffering is the most important part. We can run TO God or away from God. When we run to God, He causes all things to work together for good (Romans 8:28), and He gets the glory.
We can see part of the reasoning for some of our suffering here.*
- Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11:3-4 NKJV)
- Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” (John 11:21-22 NKJV)
Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40 NKJV)
Martha never lost faith. She believed that God would do whatever Jesus asked. Likewise, we must believe that Jesus is praying for us (John 17:20-26).
These are the words to a song by Jeremy Camp that I knew I loved the first time I heard it.
All the bitter weary ways
endless striving day by day
you barely have the strength to pray
in the valley low
how hard your fight has been
how deep the pain within
wounds that no one else has seen
hurts too much to show
all the doubt you're standing in between
And all the weight that brings you to your knees
HE KNOWS, HE KNOWS
EVERY HURT AND EVERY STING
HE HAS WALKED THE SUFFERING
HE KNOWS, HE KNOWS
LET YOUR BURDENS COME UNDONE
LIFT YOUR EYES UP TO THE ONE
WHO KNOWS
HE KNOWS
we may faint and we may sink
feel the pain and near the brink
but the dark begins to shrink
when you find the one who knows
the chains of doubt that held you in between
one by one are starting to break free
every time that you feel forsaken
every time that you feel alone
He is near to the broken hearted
every tear
He knows…
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=WPLKGGNX This is the link to the story behind that song. He says it much better than I can.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DswtbFUPo3Y This is the link to the song itself.
Let's give our hurts to Jesus. Let Him take those hurts to the Father on our behalf as He is ever interceding for us (Romans 8:34).
I'm still praying for my son on a daily basis, as I am for all of us who are traveling this road. There is purpose in this journey. Let's not waste it by being distracted in the wilderness and losing faith. God is still there, and He knows our hurts, pain, frustration, and impatience. He's still with us in the wilderness even when we don't feel His presence. Jeremiah 31:2 says that there's grace in the wilderness. There's grace for our loved ones and there's grace for us.
He knows, and more than that, He cares more for us and our loved ones than even we do.
*I'm not suggesting that suffering comes from God. If it's good, it's God. If it's bad, it's the devil. God gives good gifts (Matthew 7:11). The devil is the author of lies and confusion (John 8:44, 1 Corinthians 14:33). We live in a fallen world and battle the world, our flesh, and the devil (1 John 2:16). What we do with the suffering is the most important part. We can run TO God or away from God. When we run to God, He causes all things to work together for good (Romans 8:28), and He gets the glory.