Session 13
You are not alone in your suffering
From Mark: A 6-Week Devotional
Have you ever felt abandoned by God?
Perhaps you didn’t see the suffering coming, but in a moment your world turned upside down and you felt completely alone.
If you’ve ever felt this way, you are not the only one. As He suffered on the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). Jesus had been abandoned by almost everyone who claimed to love Him. And as He felt the weight of humanity's sin, Jesus experienced what separation from His Father felt like as well.
Jesus didn’t have to suffer as He did. After all, He was fully God and fully man. Yet, He chose to endure suffering greater than any of us could ever even imagine. Why would He do that?
Jesus endured the worst kind of suffering humans can endure because He is not a distant, far-off God. He is “Immanuel,” God with us. In taking the punishment for all of our sins, Jesus made a way for us to have a relationship with the Father. Through Jesus' sacrifice, we can experience the same closeness with God that He had while on Earth.
When you face trials and suffering, when you feel like God has abandoned you, remember the price that Jesus paid for you. Whatever you may be going through, no matter how alone you feel, you are not abandoned. Jesus is with you, and He wants to wrap His arms around you and offer you comfort and peace. Call out to Him. Offer Him your suffering, and let Him turn it into rejoicing.
Reflect: