in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested."
As Christians, and as non-believers watching Christians, people often ask why, if we love God, and God loves us, do we have suffering or sorrow?
It's a very difficult question to answer and one of those questions that, in some ways, every individual has to answer that question for himself. I have argued with God, loudly.....in language that I'm sure did NOT impress Him. And in the grand scheme of other people's suffering, my problems were minute.
But I don't like to take solace in the 'well, other people have it worse than I do' argument for a few reasons. The biggest of those reasons, is that, in a way it makes me feel that I am taking joy (or at least decreasing my misery) in somebody else's troubles. Despite this feeling, I do make one exception. Like many Christians, when life gets me down it is comforting to know that Jesus, God made flesh, also experienced worldly suffering. As a matter of fact, that's WHY He came to us. Our God loves us so much that He desired to come and experience our suffering so that He could intimately join Himself to our troubles.
Likewise, Jesus wants us to join our suffering to His. I have heard many of my friends who, I feel, are holier than I am, discuss 'offering it up'. When they go through a hard time, they will offer it up, joining it to Christ's sacrifice on the cross for some specific intention.
This sounds like a good thing to me, but I am still working on it. I tend to get too self-involved in my own problems, which is kind of selfish....and self-centered. When it comes down to it, I invest too much of my 'self' in my suffering. If I invested more wisely, perhaps the world would get a slightly better return?
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