sympathy

As a community educator for the Betty Griffin House I deal with a lot of abusive relationships and talk about them a lot. I am not someone who can fully understand them because I was never in one. My marriage is not abusive at all, my parents were not abusive at all, I never dated anyone I controlled nor was I ever controlling to anyone I dated. I just can't fully get it, because I haven't walked in their shoes on either side of the equation.
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, and yet is without sin.
That's so awesome that God has sent His Son to earth, we know that He has walked through the same temptations and trials that we have, and endured them 100%.
John Stott shares this brilliant thought: "I could never myself believe in God if it were not for the cross. In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it? I turn to that lonely, twisted, tortured figure on the cross, nails through hands and feet, back lacerated, limbs wrenched, brow bleeding from thorn-pricks, mouth dry and intolerably thirsty, plunged in God-forsaken darkness. That is the God for me. He set aside his immunity to pain. He entered our world of flesh and blood, tears and death." These words provide one of the best arguments for both the existence of God and the power of the cross.
I think Stott covers it all, there is no way for us to believe in anyone outside of Christ as a savior because only He has endured it all and placed Himself in a place of just and justifier, as well as being able to sympathize completely with my life.
At the cross Jesus bridged so many gaps, the most important was sin, and our relationship with God, but also He brought us power and strength in knowing that He too suffered on earth and dealt with earthly temptations and struggles.
It's so awesome to know that we worship the God, the one who sent His son to die on a cross and live on earth.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!