For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)
Finding Purpose In The Trials Of Life – Letting Jesus Help Me.
The abundant life does not come without its troubles. Since God expelled Adam and Eve from the garden, the world has been a place of trials, temptations, and heartaches. Adam and Eve felt the grief of losing a son by the hand of their firstborn son. Who was there to comfort them and try to explain death? Eve had given birth to both sons and as God promised, it was a painful experience. Death would come to the generations following Adam and Eve, bringing misery, sorrow, weeping, and tears without end. Life has always been filled with suffering.
Jesus came to give purpose to life through His sacrifice. His death on the cross did not do away with pain and sorrow but offered to the world a higher purpose in life to live within the season of grief and suffering. The trials of life are multiplied daily. Sometimes the burden seems impossible to bear. Answers never come. Explanations fall short. Tears seldom dry. Grief grips the heart. What is the purpose of life in times of trial? That is what Jesus came to offer. The Son of God willingly left His home with the Father and took on the form of flesh. Jesus did not come to the world as God to exalt Himself above all men. If Jesus did not experience the nature of flesh, what value is there in finding peace with one who does not understand the trials of life? Jesus knows, understands, and stands ready to help because He personally experienced life’s pains.
There are many things to rejoice in the sacrifice of Jesus, but one singular joy is found in the truth that Jesus felt every pain of suffering that all men suffer. Sometime before His ministry began, the man who took on the role of a Father died. Joseph was a righteous man who, like Mary, was chosen to care for the Son of God. There is little doubt Joseph doted over his firstborn son. He and Mary had other children, but Joseph knew Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus felt the pain of Joseph’s death. He felt the pain of Lazarus’ death. Jesus was grieved at the hearts of the Pharisees. The Son of God experienced the pains of the flesh.
When Jesus became flesh, the devil sought to destroy Him through temptation. When Satan came to Jesus after His baptism, this was not the first time Jesus was tempted. When Jesus reached an age of accountability, the devil came after Him with all his deceitful wiles. All the years before His ministry, Jesus faced the onslaught of temptation. He never gave in, and He never sinned. Jesus was tempted, but He never sinned.
The abundant life Jesus offers is knowing that He understands and knows the trials everyone faces in life. He wants His disciples to know He can help. Prayer is the avenue of grace, allowing the troubled heart to plead for God’s mercy, strength, and comfort in times of trial. Finding purpose in Christ is finding the courage to face life with a resolve of divine assistance. Those without Christ have no purpose. All spiritual blessings are in Christ. Jesus is a High Priest who can sympathize with all the weaknesses of the flesh. He knows. Jesus understands. The joy of purpose in Christ is to know that He faced the same trials that all men face. His victorious life makes abundant life possible. Jesus bore the suffering on the cross so that His disciples would have the joy of victory over sin and death.
Because of the abundant life in Jesus, there is no victory in death. The abundant life in Christ takes away the sting of death and the victory of Hades. Jesus lived a sinless life, and while mankind cannot replicate that, the abundant life in Jesus helps the soul gain victory over sin so it will not have dominion. Joy in Christ is finding the peace that passes all understanding and gaining the victory over sin. In time of need, Jesus is there. The mercy of God is everlasting and available to those who experience the abundant life in Jesus Christ.
