I Understand
Our lives are not always perfect and easy going.
Reference: They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment. (Psalm 22:18 NIV)
Explore: A very close friend of mine went through a period of depression about 15 years ago. She struggled through life and couldn’t see hope in the future.
While to the outside world she put on a brave face and a fake facade, to her close friends and family she became distant and they worried about her. Thankfully, through prayer and counselling, my friend made her way through this dark time.
Since that period of depression my friend has noticed that a number of people have come across her path who were also experiencing similar feelings. Although everyone’s journey is different, my friend has been able to show a great insight and understanding to these people, as she experienced something similar.
Sure, I’m confident that my friend would rather not have gone through her period of depression, but she does see that she can now help others who are going through depression too.
Application: Our lives are not always perfect and easy going. However, our pain can give us greater empathy and understanding for others.
Jesus was perfect, yet He still suffered great pain and suffering. We know our Saviour understands the trials we experience because his life was filled with them too.
Psalm 22 prophecies about what Christ would go through when He came to earth. To be honest, it’s not a pleasant read and there are a number of verses that clearly replicate the experiences of Jesus.
Through His pain and suffering we feel a closeness to God, as we know He truly understands our grievances too.
Prayer: Lord, knowing all things already, You willingly came to earth to show us that You care and understand our difficulties. May we, in turn, look to helping and understanding others through our lives. Amen.
What experience in your life has helped you show compassion to others?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.