By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  June 27, 2020

Because we do not see God in the way we see other people—in a physical, tangible way—we often shy away from asking Him for help. Sometimes it can take us a long period of time to bend our knees and to ask God to intervene on our behalf. Deep down, we may even wonder if He even knows how difficult we have it on earth.

Jesus, God’s only Son, walked the same earth we do, and He had many of the same experiences we face each day. Even though we may read the Bible daily, we can quickly forget that Jesus experienced life in a similar fashion to us.

When we hear about others going through an ordeal that we also experienced in the past, our ears perk up. Instantly, we can relate to their situation. We know what it’s like to suffer like they did or to keep battling in a seemingly hopeless fight. And compassion pours from us as we make every effort to assist them through their hardships.

Although we may not quickly think of Jesus as someone who has experienced what we are feeling, He has. All the pain we have felt He has felt—every last twinge of it. And because of that, He wants to help us in our times of weakness.

God’s grace gives us confidence as we realize that He cares about us deeply. He also wants to intervene in our lives because He has been there. He has walked more than a mile in our shoes and knows the trials and temptations we daily face. God is not a distant stranger but an intimate friend who wants to share in our experiences. Will you trust Him with your life today?

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your mercy, grace, and compassion. Give me confidence to come boldly to You in challenging times. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. . . . Jesus wept” (John 11:33, 35).