Counsels on Social Issue

Counsel #11 — God Shares Our Pain

Picture: Counsel #11 — God Shares Our Pain CSI 93.1

Many only consider how calamities affect us, but they also grieve God. The agony of Christ on the cross wasn't an isolated event; it was a culmination of the suffering sin has caused God since its beginning. Every calamity, every disaster, every catastrophe brings Him sorrow. The Scripture in Judges 10:16 tells us: "His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel." They faced subjugation, cruelty, and death, and God shared in their misery. God doesn't just witness our suffering — He carries it with us, just as “In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them…. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years."^[138] CSI 93.2

When you come to God in prayer about your suffering, imagine Him grieving with you.^[139] Carry that mental picture with you during times of hardship.^[140] CSI 93.3

“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Isaiah 53:4 NKJV CSI 93.4

“Not a sigh is breathed, not a pain felt, not a grief pierces the soul, but the throb vibrates to the Father’s heart.” Ellen White in The Desire of Ages, p. 356 CSI 93.5

Reflect: How does the concept of God sharing your pain differ from simply believing God knows about your suffering? CSI 93.6