“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
For some, it may be easy to view God as a Being who is largely indifferent toward the difficulties we experience. But contrary to that belief, Hebrews 4:15 reminds us that Jesus is not distant and removed from us as we navigate the challenges of daily life.
The following excerpt from the Biblical prophet Isaiah’s description of the Messiah offers some valuable insight into our passage from Hebrews 4:15: “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief… Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows…” (Isaiah 53:3-4). Thus, in the words of one source…
“there is no part of human experience of which God cannot say: ‘I have been there.’ When we have a sad and sorry tale to tell, when life has drenched us with tears, we do not go to a God who is incapable of understanding what has happened; we go to a God who has been there. That is why–if we may put it so–God finds it easy to forgive.” (1)
Nevertheless, the knowledge that Jesus sympathizes with us in our weaknesses does not make those struggles any less real. Thus, we would be well-advised to adopt the eternal perspective advocated by Paul the Apostle in his Biblical letters to the churches at Corinth and Rome…
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
If we were to place our current struggles on the scale of eternity and weigh them against the future that God has prepared for us, it would surely change our perspective. For Paul the Apostle, the sufferings, persecutions, indignities, and hardships he endured were relatively insignificant compared to the eternal glory to follow.
Therefore, we can view the troubles and difficulties of life as light and momentary if we assess them from an eternal point of view. In addition, the knowledge that Jesus identifies with our afflictions helps make them easier to bear. As Jesus Himself once reminded us…
“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 16:33 NIV).
(1) Barclay, William, “William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible“. “The Perfect High Priest (Heb_4:14-16)”.