Mid-Week Message - He Doesn't Know What I Face

A man went to see his doctor about a pain that he was having. The doctor listened to the man as he described the excruciating pain he had. While going into detail about the pain and describing how horrible the pain was, the man noticed that the doctor was just nodding his head up and down. He seemed disinterested in the man’s medical problem. Finally, the man just got upset and said, “Do you really understand what I am going through?”

When we must endure a painful situation like the loss of a loved one or some other traumatic situation, we pray and hope that God understands the pain that we feel. We feel that God is like the doctor in the story and is just simply nodding His head as we try to describe the pain. We sometimes want to ask God the same question that the man asked his doctor. “Do You really understand what I am going through?”

God does understand our pain and is working to help you get through your problem. Of the many places that have been given names for a particular reason, one of my absolute favorites is the one found in Genesis 22:14. Abraham names a place, Yahweh-Yireh, which is “the Lord will provide.”

In order for God to provide you with help, comfort, strength or whatever you need, He must understand your situation and the feelings that you are experiencing. When God sent His son, Jesus, to live among us, he was flesh. He experienced the same pains and temptation that others went through. Think about it. God, through His son, knows what we face, experience and must endure. He knows exactly what we experience and how we feel.

In Hebrews 4:15, we see that Christ Jesus endured the same trials and heartaches we endure. 

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.

Since Jesus is our intercessor and sits at the right hand of the Father, God knows everything we experience because of His son. Jesus experienced all of same situations we have to face, but Jesus overcame through his faith and trust in his Father. Jesus had his moments when he wanted to avoid horrible situations. Remember, Jesus’ prayer in the garden, he fell to the ground and prayed, “If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Matthew 26:39). 

There are times when we do not want a cup of suffering and we ask that it be taken away. God understands why we asked that it be taken away. He is not just nodding his head. He knows what pain we will experience and how it will impact our life. Like Jesus, our prayer should always include “I want your will to be done, not mine.”

So, when you feel that God is not listening or does not understand your pain, remain steadfast and know that He does know what you are feeling and will give you grace that will provide you with comfort, strength, courage or whatever you need.