What feels like a very long time ago, I taught second grade. Leah Freeman was in the very last class I ever taught. She's a grown woman now, pursuing a master's degree, with the sweetest heart for God and people. Please welcome her to this space today.
Nearly two years ago, I walked with a dear
friend through the death of her father. It was completely unexpected, and she
suddenly found her “world flipped upside down,” to use her and her husband’s
words. I had to learn very quickly how to bear her pain without breaking and,
as many can relate, this felt impossible.
I soon found that I not only took on her pain,
along with my own and the rest of the world’s, but it seemed that all I noticed
were the world’s hurts. I only saw brokenness. I couldn’t notice sunshine and
leaves and grace when all I could see was death, addiction, assault,
depression, and pain. It seemed that every news story I saw cut me deeply. When
I heard about divorce or bullying or racism, I wouldn’t be surprised, because I
soon realized that I was consistently expecting pain that had an unrelenting
grip on those around me. As you can imagine, having faith seemed nearly
impossible for me. “Lord, if we have a hard time bearing the pain of others
without breaking, how are we supposed to live without crumbling?” But then I
understood –
We were never meant to.
As I look at the life of Jesus, I see Him
setting an example as He completely relied on the Father. I love the passage that
says, “For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect
has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). I truly believe
that Jesus was tempted to wave a white flag in surrender, even as He knew that
salvation would come through His death. He begged God to take this cup from
Him, and yet He walked forward in obedience. Later in that passage, in chapter
5, the author talks about how, yes, “Jesus
offered up prayers and supplications,” but He did so with “loud cries and tears” (Heb. 5:7).
He felt our pain. He saw sadness and brokenness
everywhere He went, and He even saw hurt in the eyes of His closest friends and
family. However, He could bear it. It may have felt impossible, but He would combat
that thinking by speaking truth to Himself and others. When asked how salvation
could be possible, “Jesus looked at
them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are
possible’” (Matt. 19:26). Jesus fully knew that we were never meant to
carry the burden of salvation, but God made the impossible possible; Jesus knew
that this was His purpose, but He also knew that our purpose was also far from
over. As he prayed to the Father for the disciples and those that would come
after them, He pleaded:
“I do not ask that
you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil
one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify
them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the
world, so I have sent them into the world” (Jn.
17:15).
Many times, yes, it is easier for us to look at
God and wonder why He doesn’t just take us off the earth already – especially
if we tend to easily get caught up in “What if?” questions! But the beauty of
it is that Jesus specifically asked the Father to keep us in this world. Friends,
God isn’t finished working through you yet. I truly believe that our God is a
loving Father who wants more than anything to have you home with Him – just not
now. Because even as the disciples were filled with sorrow at Jesus leaving
them, He promised that it was better, for He was sending the Spirit, His Spirit to be with us while we are
here on the earth. And in that I take hope. I take hope with the writer of
Hebrews who proclaims that his hope is “a sure and steadfast anchor of the
soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus
has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever…”
(Heb.6:19-20). Jesus intercedes for us. He hurts with us. He knows us better
than we know ourselves. He loves us. He gives us strength. He came down to make
a way for us to place not just our burdens, but others’ burdens, on His
shoulders. And in that I rejoice.
Leah is
currently in school to become a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and
works at an adoption agency with families pursuing embryo adoption. She is a
number one fan of meaningful conversations, creation care, travel, social
justice, fireflies, people, and their Creator. You can follow her blog at https://seekitlikesilverblog.
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