Comfort

Have you ever felt a pain in the pit of your soul that just won’t go away?

He felt it, too.

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isa 53:3, ESV)

He lived to the age of thirty-three and He was used to being alone. No one understood or cared to understand anything He said, even though He had words beyond the wisdom of the greatest philosophers; beyond the beauty of the greatest poets. No, they shook their heads at Him. At one point in His life, they all left Him except for a small band of ragtag disciples. There were even those who tried to find any way they could to kill Him because of His words.

Who wouldn’t be sorrowful with all of that? Worst of all, He knew that the day was coming. He understood that every verse in Scripture that spoke of unspeakable suffering was about Him. Imagine how He must have felt whenever He read those verses above.

He knew that all that everyone else in the world was enjoying, from the joys of having a family to even the comfort of a home and a warm bed to sleep in, were things that He would never be able to enjoy. He knew that God had one purpose in His being on earth, and that one purpose was to die.

If you’re feeling sad, know for certain that He knows how you feel. He’s been there. If you’re suffering, He knows how you feel, because He suffered unspeakable agony on the cross. If you’re lonely, He was lonely beyond description. Even His own disciples didn’t understand Him. If you’re feeling pressure, He knows how you feel. He bore the sins of mankind on His shoulders.

His heart is aching with yours. He loves you so much that He did all He could for you. He loves you like a shepherd. Even to the point of laying down His life for you.

He brings rich gifts to you. He shed His blood for you so that one day, you might have the chance to be washed in His blood, and that all your sins may be forgiven for eternity. He died so that He would rise again and send the Comforter, the promised Holy Spirit, down for you.

And when you receive the promised Holy Spirit, Christ truly dwells in you. Even when you’re feeling alone, you can be assured that you’re not really alone, but have within you His constant presence–an unquenchable source of strength and sufficiency.

Despite your broken heart, despite anything you’ve done in the past, He is there. He knows how you feel because He’s been there. Before you even know Him, He has already loved you today more than anyone can ever love you.

The Bible says that we all, like sheep, have gone astray. It’s true, isn’t it? We’ve wandered far from God, and the farther we roam, the more lost we become. We encounter sorrows and pain in life because we’ve become disconnected with Him. But even so, He still loves us, more than ever. He tends His flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart, and He gently leads those that have young.

A funny thing happens when you accept Jesus Christ as your shepherd. You find that His grace is always there, and is always enough for you. When your soul hungers, He leads you into the open green pastures. When your soul is filled with anxiety, He leads you beside the calm, still waters. No matter how broken your soul become in this life, He restores it. Even when faced with death, or the slings and arrows of our enemies, He is there.