"11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."
I've been reading these verses over and over lately, and they have a different meaning than they used to. It was always 'Yeah, Christ suffered for my sins. He took on the pains of the world. I'm not alone because of Him.' What we don't realize is that He did so much more than that. The definition of infirmity is: "physical or mental weakness". I was hit hard when my bishop told me that, because depression is a mental weakness/illness. Most people think of illnesses as a cold, or maybe the flu. This scripture includes everything: sicknesses, diseases, heartache, struggles, pain. For me, it's important to know that he suffered through depression and anxiety. He knows exactly what I've been through and what I am currently going through. I'm NEVER alone.
He (Christ) is the gift. Happy Holidays!
Love, Miss KatieBug <3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3–4)
ReplyDelete"When we hide our wounds and weaknesses, we not only distance ourselves from others but also subtly reinforce the lie that the Christian life promises continuous victory, pain-free bodies, and material prosperity. Letting our brothers and sisters in Christ into that sacred space of our suffering, sharing our failures and weakness, pain and despair, brings a rare closeness that reminds us all that we are not alone."
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/you-dont-have-to-suffer-alone
Thank you for your stories. I love reading and re-reading every single one.