For the Sorrowful, the Grieving, the Despised
Isaiah 53:3 (NKJV)
“He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”
I know there are fellow Christians in certain countries who are treated with contempt, despised, and forced to live at the lowest levels of their societies, allowed to do only the jobs others would never consider doing. Some have their homes destroyed or stolen from them. Some are not allowed to practice their faith publicly or share their faith with others.
And there are other followers of Jesus who experience rejection even from fellow Christians.
There are many people who are sorrowful, grieving, and despised. But they are not alone. Isaiah tells us that Jesus Himself was despised and rejected, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
Because Jesus understands suffering and rejection, we can draw near to Him with our burdens. Consider these comforting words from Hebrews 4:14–16:
“Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession.
For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.”
What a wonderful comfort it is to know that Jesus understands! He knows what it is to be rejected, despised, and acquainted with sorrow. When grief weighs heavily on our hearts, we can come to Him with confidence, knowing that He welcomes us to draw near and receive His mercy and grace.
Sorrows, grief, and rejection can become a doorway to our great High Priest, Jesus Christ. They can draw us closer to the One who understands, comforts, and helps us in our time of need.