Every Longing Heart
Friday, December 12, 2025
Today’s Reading: Matthew 1:18-25
When I was in nursing school, I had a pretty skeptical attitude toward fibromyalgia as a “wastebasket diagnosis.” This term is used when vague syndromes can’t be attributed to some other, more clearly defined diagnosis. I, like many in the medical community at that time, didn’t believe it to be a “real” condition.
Apparently, God saw my pride, cynicism, and lack of compassion. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2018. God can be ironic like that, huh? I ignored my symptoms for years until they became so debilitating that I had to go to the doctor. I’ve been on medication to help with the various symptoms, and my case isn’t nearly as bad as some others’. I know that you all are more compassionate than I was, but I don’t say any of this for pity.
I bring this up because I now feel the lack of understanding that my patients probably felt from me 20 years ago. It can be very lonely and frustrating to have one of these “invisible illnesses” (like fibro, lupus, addiction, chronic fatigue, or anxiety, as some examples). Surely, most of us have felt the isolation of “no one understands.” There is comfort in knowing others share your experience.
Perhaps this devotion would be more appropriately titled “Longing for Sympathy,” because even when others can’t fully understand or empathize, we would still like them to care —to sympathize. A hurting person may actually get offended if you say, “I understand,” when they know for a fact that you couldn’t possibly understand.
I’ve already mentioned several times that God is outside our construct and that His ways are higher than our ways. In many theological discussions, it is very helpful to remind ourselves of that transcendent vantage point. This describes the “gods” of nearly all the world’s religions. The “god” of most belief systems is separate from humans, above humans, beyond reach. The Christian faith affirms that belief as well.
However, the real God is also immanent, meaning He is personal, intimate, and present within His creation. This closeness does not mean He is any less sovereign or exalted. It means that He is perfect. He is both transcendent and immanent, the incomprehensible Creator and a Father who understands.
The powerful Word that spoke the universe into existence is the same Word that wrapped Himself in the body of a baby and lived as a human.
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14 NIV)
Every other religion promises that if you work hard enough, do enough, appease the gods enough, you might be able to climb your way up to where they are. The truth is that God, in His love and mercy, condescended to us. He came down so that He might be exalted. God with us.
“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22-23 NIV)
This means I can never cry that He just doesn’t understand. There is no part of the human experience Jesus cannot understand. He experienced rejection, pain, suffering, grief, temptation, injustice, affliction, discouragement, hardship, homelessness, loneliness, betrayal, and death. In Jesus, we have comfort in the sharing of suffering. We have a God who truly empathizes with what we are going through.
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV)
Jesus understands what you’re going through, perhaps more than anyone else could. Take comfort in that.