"Throw the whole of your anxiety upon Him, because He Himself cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7 WNT)
I'm sorry.
I tell my girls this when they're going through something difficult, painful, or troubling.
"It's not your fault," they usually respond.
And I say to them, "I'm not sorry because this is my fault. I'm sorry because what hurts you hurts me. I know I didn't cause it, but I'm sorry because of it."
What I'm trying to do—however imperfectly—is to model the compassion of Abba. The caring nature of God is on display time and time again in His story. I love how these verses, in particular, reveal so clearly that what hurts us hurts God.
On your behalf and my behalf, the tender heart of God is:
Distressed. "In all their distress, He too was distressed, and the angel of His presence saved them. In His love and mercy He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them" (Isaiah 63:9).
Dismayed. "When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 'Where have you laid him?' He asked. 'Come and see, Lord,' they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, 'See how He loved him!' " (John 11:32-36).
Dissatisfied. "As evening approached, the disciples came to Him and said, 'This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.' Jesus replied, 'They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat' " (Matthew 14:16).
Displeased. " 'I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering' " (Exodus 3:7).
Disturbed. "Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress...The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian's defeat, You have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor..." (Isaiah 9:1-4).
El Shaddai—God Almighty and all-sufficient—is sorry for our sorrow, not because it is His fault but because it hurts those He loves.
In the person of Emmanuel, He has walked among us and has been one of us, and so He feels what we feel.
God's heart is moved on our behalf because He is caring and compassionate. His hand is moved on our behalf because He is passionate and powerful.
Abba feels deeply about what troubles His children, but unlike us so often as human parents, He is not helpless to do anything about it. He is I AM. He can do anything He chooses.
He could—and did—redeem Israel.
He could—and did—resurrect Lazarus.
He could—and did—feed the hungry crowds.
He could—and did—free His children from slavery.
And He could—and did—save the whole world.
O my soul, bless the Lord.
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy. As a father shows compassion to His children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust...But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting" (from Psalm 103).
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I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to tell me what you really think. Years ago, I explained to my then-two-year-old that my appointment with a counselor was "sort of like going to a doctor who will help me be a better mommy." Without blinking, she replied, "You'd better go every day." All of which is just to say I've spent some time in the school of brutal honesty!