John 4…All suffering is because of sin, and though we suffer when we sin, not all suffering is because we’ve sinned.
Regardless of the reason for our suffering, we must understand that relief, real relief, may not be in being removed from the suffering or have the suffering removed from us, but having had the peace of God instilled in our hearts when we have encountered Jesus in our suffering, whatever the reason.
The weight of sin’s effect in this world is inescapable – as our bodies, souls, and spirits are constantly barraged by the ill effect of sin: weathering and weakening our bodies sapping our strength, vitality, and health; the temptation of sin, to sin – the weathering and weakening of our flesh, our soul – in an attempt to drag us down and discourage; and sin’s - the tempter’s - attempt to distract our spirit’s fellowship and worship of God and our obedience to God as sin calls to us to live for someone, something, other than the God of our salvation and the goodness of His call.
We need not be defeated, discouraged, or dismayed, but in fact, we can rejoice – knowing that Jesus loves us so much that He joined us here, suffered with us, and overcame this world. So that now, we, who are in Him, have and can overcome this world as He strides here with us, for us, giving us His victory…
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 4…
Even Jesus felt the weight… in Hebrews, it says that Jesus suffered and was “tempted just as we are”
Hebrews 2:10-11 “10In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. 11Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”
Hebrews 2:17-18 “For this reason, He had to be made like His brothers in every way, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.”
Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin.”
But there is relief to be had – Jesus’ life in and for us – Jesus’s Spirit, a well of living water gushing up from within as we are forgiven, accepted, indwelled, empowered, and renewed; Jesus, the bread of life, feeding our soul’s longing for right standing with the Father, God, with a righteousness not of ourselves, but as a gracious gift love from God, in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
