And yet we must consider "Why, 'the Man of Sorrows' was afflicted more than you; Jesus was indeed a mourner. You only see the skirts of the garments of affliction. You never have trials like His. You do not understand what troubles mean; you have hardly sipped the cup of trouble----you have only had a drop or two, but Jesus drank the dregs" (Charles Spurgeon, Complete Volume, Vol 1).
Our good and faithful Lord understands our trials better than any other human counterpart can. True--we can have good companionship and help each other through difficult times by speaking to those who have had similar trials. But Christ alone understands what is is like to be in the agony of pain, the constant "hatred" from 'cool' people, the sickness of the world and the sin of every being was placed on His shoulders as He strained for breath on the Cross. He had insults hurled at Him from the moment of His "sentence" by the Sanhedrin to His crucifixion, when men bet on His clothing. He was jeered at, spit on, beaten within an inch of His life. He was abandoned by His earthly family---considered insane. If anyone can understand the "least" trial we face, it is our Lord, our Shepherd.
Let us consider the classic Psalm 23:
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a]I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
If we really read this passage---and not the cookie-cutter memorized version (as sometimes happens with well-known passages), it is incredibly helpful. We honestly lack nothing, regardless of our situation. It may be difficult---enough so that we may indeed be facing our last physical breaths. But He is with us, He is there counseling us, His love enveloping us as the rod and staff. We can still, in the midst of the worst of days have the option to "lie down in green pastures"; that is, we have the option to have peace, if we ask of Him for His peace. We are able to ask for strength and receive it, feel His Spirit fill us, refreshing our soul.
Compared to His suffering, what He faced before and on the cross, is much beyond our own sufferings. But, as a good Shepherd, He cares for and does not belittle our trials. He is willing to be yoked to us, to help us. We just have to be willing to let Him be God, and we His sheep.
Compared to His suffering, what He faced before and on the cross, is much beyond our own sufferings. But, as a good Shepherd, He cares for and does not belittle our trials. He is willing to be yoked to us, to help us. We just have to be willing to let Him be God, and we His sheep.
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