THERE IS ONE group of people that I hesitate to write about. I can only write about them at some risk, since there is no way for me to fully understand their struggle. I pray that nothing I write here causes any of them harm. But I believe their stories must be told.

There are people out there facing unimaginable difficulty every single day. I would not even be able to budge the cross they carry. It might be an illness or a complex family issue. They suffer from serious physical or emotional pain. Or they live under oppressive political regimes. I’ve received many prayer requests from people living in situations where there is literally no way out.

What do you do when you have a disabled child, and you must live with verbally abusive relatives since you can’t afford your own place? What do you do when your son is in jail for drug charges, your crippling arthritis hardly lets you move, and you’re about to be evicted from your home? What do you do when you live with a narcissist, and you have no social life, no job, and no family to turn to? And what do you do if you are a child digging with your bare hands in the cobalt mines of the Congo for two dollars a day?

These realities reach the limit of most people’s understanding. But many people live like this. Too many. And nobody pays attention. These people should seek and receive help at all costs. But sometimes it’s not possible. Sometimes they have no options. And in these cases, the only comfort might be the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of the universe, the Lamb of God. If he came for anyone, he came for them. He came especially for those that suffer most.

Jesus identifies in a special way with those that live with deep hurt and pain. He knows what it’s like to pay the price for someone else’s sin. He knows exactly what it feels like to be betrayed and denied, even by close friends. And he knows how much it hurts to be crucified when you are innocent.

There is no way to justify when people get hurt due to abuse, neglect, or inhuman circumstances. But these souls know Jesus unlike any other. They may be the best representation of Jesus on this earth. They are the face of the suffering God. As for the rest of us, he calls us to help them. So, if you know of a situation like this, go. Go and serve your suffering neighbor as if you are serving the Lord Jesus himself.

And remember, just because others suffer more, that doesn’t minimize your suffering. You don’t have to face a life-threatening situation to feel the pain. The mercy of the Lord is wide open and spacious. In our suffering, we too can identify with Christ. And if we help others that suffer, we can serve Jesus. We can join with his Spirit to bring healing and comfort to the wounded of the world.

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And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Romans 8:15-17

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