Finding God’s Grace in Our Suffering by Katie FarisSample

“There’s a 95% chance it’s nothing.”

When my son first got sick, I remember a specialist telling me not to be concerned. He assured me that my son’s lab results would most likely normalize on their own. Except, my son’s numbers didn’t normalize. And a “95% chance” didn’t mean anything to me when three of my children became part of the 5% of cases who receive a serious diagnosis.

And that experience has left its mark on me. I appreciate that the specialist didn’t want me to worry, and even though we now have multiple diagnoses in our home, I still know that I shouldn’t worry. But what about when test results are out of range and I do worry? What about when the anxiety and fear squeeze my lungs so hard that I’m not sure how I’ll breathe?

Then what?

And what do you do when your bitterness or lack of control threaten to unravel your peace? Or when all you can think about is your loneliness? When our trials pile on so high that we feel like we’ll collapse, what do we do?

We draw near to our sympathetic Savior.

When we go to Jesus, he doesn’t scold us for our temptations; he sympathizes and helps us. When we confess, he doesn’t condemn us for our sin; he forgives us. Instead of adding to our heavy load, he lightens it. When we draw near, we find that “his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

Listen to Jesus’ own words:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

(Matthew 11:28-29)

Our sympathetic high priest is “gentle and lowly in heart,” and he invites us to come to him and find soul-rest.

What are we waiting for? Draw near.

Reflection Questions:

1. “When we go to Jesus, he doesn’t scold us for our temptations; he sympathizes and helps us.” How does this encourage you in your current challenge?
2. In your trials, where are you most likely to turn for distraction? What would it look like for you to draw near to God instead?