Whatever You Feel, Jesus Felt it First

As I was falling asleep, the image of someone hurting came to me. I felt like the person who may read this could use Christ’s peace today.

• When you feel overwhelmed, remember Jesus. He carried the weight of the world on His shoulders.

 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Pet. 2:24) NIV

• When you feel abandoned, remember Jesus when He went to Gethsemane before He was led to the cross. He asked His disciples to stay with Him while He prayed during His most troubling time. Instead of being His support, they fell asleep.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  (Matt. 26:36-41) NIV

• When you feel unappreciated, remember Jesus. He willing endured lashings that tore his flesh in order to save the very people who were doing this to Him.

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. (Jn. 19:1) NIV

• When you think people are talking about you or plotting no good, remember Jesus and the Pharisees that rejected Him from the very beginning. They thought they knew better and spent a good portion of their time trying to trick Jesus to discredit and humiliate Him. When that failed, they plotted His death.

Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. (Mk. 3:1-6) NIV

• When you feel alone, remember Jesus on the cross. Only He alone was worthy enough to die a sinner’s death to eradicate our sin punishment. Only He could be the one to endure this torture to save us. He alone took to wrath of our Father, and only He alone had to die.

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”  When he had said this, he breathed his last. (Lk. 23:44-46) NIV

There isn’t an emotion, feeling, thought, or worry that you experience that your Jesus didn’t feel. He could have gone through life solely as the deity He was but instead went through it as a human who feels, thinks, and bleeds.

You have a God who knows. Talk to Him and share your hurt because Jesus isn’t far removed from your pain. He understands exactly what you feel because he has been there.

This is not forever, but our Jesus is.

This too shall pass.