The Truth of God Becoming Us

When we are going through difficult times, it can often seem as though God has taken a few days off when it comes to us.  We might find ourselves wondering, "Why me?"  We can think that God might be angry at us, or that we've done something wrong to incur God's silence.  

But the truth is, no matter what is happening in our lives, God is near us and also completely understands what it feels like to feel grief, suffering, and even God's seeming absence.  

Author Rob Bell captures this sentiment beautifully when he writes: 

“Our tendency in the midst of suffering is to turn on God. To get angry and bitter and shake our fist at the sky and say, ‘God, you don't know what it's like! You don't understand! You have no idea what I'm going through. You don't have a clue how much this hurts.’  The cross is God's way of taking away all of our accusations, excuses, and arguments. The cross is God taking on flesh and blood and saying, 'Me too.'” 

We often find ourselves wrestling with the heaviness of our pain, our circumstances, and God all at once. Yet, in this wrestling lies a profound truth that can transform our perspective on suffering: the Incarnation.

The message of the Incarnation—that God chose to enter our world as a vulnerable baby—is the ultimate declaration of divine empathy. The cross, where Christ bore the weight of our suffering, is God's way of removing all our accusations, excuses, and arguments. 

At that moment, God took on flesh and blood and said, “Me too.” In the harsh reality of the Cross, God fully identifies with our suffering.

In Hebrews 4:15, we are reminded that "we do not have a high priest who cannot empathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin." 

This verse underscores the beauty of the Incarnation: Jesus experienced life as we do, with all its trials, sorrows, and joys. He walked our roads, felt our pain, and understood our struggles. This is not a distant God who remains aloof from our human experience; He immersed Himself in it.

We begin to find hope when we acknowledge that God intimately understands our pain and willingly enters a world of suffering and injustice. 

The fact that God lived among us and died for us through Jesus speaks volumes about His love and commitment to humanity. It tells us that we are seen, we are heard, and we are valued. The Incarnation invites us to lean into our pain, knowing that God is right there with us, holding our hand even when we feel most alone.

So, dear friends, as you navigate the complexities of your own challenges, I encourage you to trust in God deeply. God is not a distant observer but a compassionate participant in our lives. 

Through Jesus, God became one of us to save all of us. 

Let this truth resonate in your heart, reminding you that you are never alone in every struggle. God walks alongside you, offering understanding, love, and the promise of hope, even in the most challenging moments. 

Embrace the beauty of the Incarnation and allow it to guide you toward trust and healing.

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all, now and forever.  Amen.