Scripture
Although He was God's divine Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. -Hebrews 5:8
In His human nature, Jesus experienced the full weight of obedience through His pain, proving His faithfulness to God. Because of this, He has compassion for us and can empathize with human suffering when we fall short. Let's be clear, Jesus was never disobedient to the Father, but He needed to be able to empathize with humanity. The compassionate High Priest came through experiential knowledge of suffering. He laid down the glory to experience the frailty of the human experience. "He was equal with God, but.....took upon the form of a servant, and became obedient unto death." (Philippians 2:6-8). Jesus was teaching us the principle of suffering as a process of refining and education. He taught that obedience is learned through endurance and submission to God's will.
Obedience is not innate for us. We must learn it through the school of suffering. Have you ever heard the phrase, "There's purpose in the pain?" The purpose of suffering (trials, pressure, challenges) is to prune, humble, or break the pride or independence we develop so that we can rely totally on God. Hardship forces us to rely on His strength, wisdom, and guidance. Once we understand this, our focus will shift from avoiding pain to trusting God through it. This produces great faith and conviction in Him. Suffering prepares us to walk in our calling because it refines us. Nothing is wasted in the hands of a faithful God.
Beloved, difficult challenges aren't just a part of the human experience. Hard times are not random, but they are educational opportunities. They teach us to trust in God and to surrender even more. Suffering can usher us into intimate fellowship with the Father. Jesus understands your pain, but He also knows that obedience is forged through difficult experiences in our lives.
Prayer
Father, we pray for your grace as we face various challenges. We pray for your strength to endure and thank you that there's purpose in our pain. In Jesus' name. Amen
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