Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:1-5 ESV).
Have you ever wondered whether Jesus really understands what you’re going through when you suffer? Suffering can be so lonely. We sometimes wonder whether anyone, especially Jesus, knows, cares, or can relate. Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be well acquainted with suffering. Jesus’ suffering started the first day of his life. Think about it: the Son of God was born without anyone noticing. How different it is today when royalty is born. There’s a nine-month birth watch. Not so with Jesus. He absolutely knows what it feels like to be forsaken, forgotten, and suffering. His suffering continued throughout his life. He was despised, hated, and rejected. He had no place to call home. There was nothing in his appearance to draw us to him. Jesus’ sufferings, though, were greatest at the end of his life. He was mocked, spit on, deserted by his disciples, and ultimately crucified. He died alone, carrying our sin.
Can Jesus relate to your suffering? Yes. But don’t forget that he suffered not just to relate but to save. His suffering was redemptive. He suffered for us so that our sufferings as believers might give us one more way to show we are becoming like him. Bring your sufferings to God in prayer and know that God cares because of Jesus.
There is also a sense in which we use this knowledge to relate to others who are suffering. When we know the presence of God in our lives, it gives us a message of hope for others. We can be “Jesus with skin on” for those who are suffering. These are the “least of these” Jesus spoke about when He directed us to service in His name. And, sometimes it may even mean going to our own cross.