Encouragement

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Naomi Cassata: [email protected]

“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthan?” that is, My God, My God, Why have though forsaken Me?”
Matthew 27:46 (NKJV) Jesus cried these words during the lowest point in His life, while He hung from a cross in anguish and pain. Jesus’ cry to God had nothing to do with bringing relief from His agony. He knew that the pain, persecution and mockery He was enduring had to serve a much greater purpose. I have heard that the type of death Jesus suffered made it almost impossible to breath. And yet, He mustered enough strength to cry out to His Father.

It was during His weakest moment that He felt the most alone; and yet, in the end He gained the biggest victory!

Throughout life, we will all deal with some degree of pain. Whether it is physical or emotional, pain does not feel good. We seek to expel it anyway we can. I have often wondered why God even allows His children to suffer. Wouldn’t it be easy enough for Him to protect our hearts from all sorrows and block all attacks of pain in our body? It would seem so, but God sees a much bigger picture.
As Christians we fill face good and bad times. Just because we have given our lives over to God, does not mean anything bad will never come our way. In fact, Paul said it best, …we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, character, and character, hope. Romans 5:3 (NKJV) According to this scripture, it is during the most difficult times that our spiritual lives grow the most. Even in the darkest of nights when our pillows are soaked with our tears and we cannot see the end of our trial, we can know God is working something far greater than we can understand or see at the moment. Our pain is not going unnoticed by Him. He even bottles our tears. (Psalm 56)

We can never accuse God of not sympathizing with our pain, for His only Son went through horrendous pain even far greater than we can imagine. It is said of Jesus, …A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief… Isaiah 53:3 He knows and feels our pain.

Like Jesus, during difficult times, we tend to feel the most alone. We do not understand why our prayers seem to go unanswered, so we turn inwardly and begin to think God has abandoned us when we need Him the most. But this is far from the truth. The Bible says, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NKJV) At the end of our trial, God will work something far greater. It is only those that have been through anything that have anything to give to others.

God never said life would be easy. He never said we would never suffer pain. He never said life was a bunch of roses. Although, He did say that in the end it will work for our good. He did say that if we trust Him, we can have peace in the middle of our storm. He did say that nothing that goes on in our life goes unnoticed by Him. So know that you are not alone and whatever the outcome, He knows best.

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