Jesus Experienced the Ache Firsthand
Daily Scripture
Matthew 26:38, 27:46, Hebrews 4:14-15
Matthew 26
38 Then he said to them, “I’m very sad. It’s as if I’m dying. Stay here and keep alert with me.”
Matthew 27
46 At about three Jesus cried out with a loud shout, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani,” which means, “My God, my God, why have you left me?” [Psalm 22:1]
Hebrews 4
14 Also, let’s hold on to the confession since we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, who is Jesus, God’s Son; 15 because we don’t have a high priest who can’t sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
“I had been hoping that there was a solution to the ache, but, really, come on. When are there hacks—tips and tricks!—to the fundamental questions of our humanity? That’s ridiculous…. I wanted to interrupt: “Hey! Quick follow-up, sorry, can I skip right to the joy?” But …. the ache cannot be denied. The ache cannot be ignored. Distraction or anger can only get so far.” Bowler, Kate, Joyful, Anyway (p. 76). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Bowler’s wish—”can I skip right to the joy?”—is what we all want: shortcuts past pain to peace. But she concludes, “the ache cannot be denied.” When you’re aching, it’s easy to think “no one, not even God, understands how I feel.” How could the all-powerful ruler of the universe have any clue how powerless, helpless, and hopeless you feel? But Jesus felt the ache of being misunderstood and rejected, even cut off from God’s presence. Even he had no way to “skip right to the joy.” He does understand—because he experienced “the ache” himself.
- Matthew showed Jesus’ painful garden agony. Scholar N. T. Wright wrote, “When we ourselves find the ground giving way beneath our feet, as sooner or later we shall, Gethsemane is where to go. That is where we find that the Lord of the world… has been there before us.” * Jesus’ human feelings led him to say, “I’m very sad. It’s as if I’m dying.” What does it mean to you that the One you pray to has personally experienced agony, abandonment, and the feeling of being forsaken?
- The letter to the Hebrews said Jesus understood the pain of people disowned by family and facing the Roman Empire’s fury. Scholar William Barclay wrote, “When we have a sad and sorry tale to tell, when life has drenched us with tears, we do not go to a God who cannot understand what has happened; we go to a God who has been there…. He knows our problems because he has come through them.” ** How can Jesus’ experience-based empathy sustain you when you ache?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, in my dark moments, help me remember you agonizing alone in Gethsemane and crying out on the cross. You felt the ache more deeply than I ever will. As my heart links to yours, remind me that I am never alone in the ache—you have been there too. Amen.
GPS Insights
Lisa Wilt
Lisa Wilt, who serves as a member and greeter at Resurrection’s Blue Springs campus, wrote today's Insights. She is a retired pharmacist who once dispensed meds but now dispenses encouragement as an Abingdon author, inspirational speaker, podcaster and daily radio devotional host. Lisa is a small-town gal with God sized dreams, a mom to four, a GiGi to two, and a wife to one–-David. Her family will tell you that her singing is dreadful, but her banana bread is delightful.
Chiaroscuro Joy: Light That Breaks Through
You are to be commended on a job well done! You made it through today’s hard-to-read Scripture. What makes it bearable is knowing the ending. Jesus’ suffering led to our salvation. His cross led to immeasurable joy.
This past Sunday we celebrated the church’s joyous birthday, Pentecost! Sadness followed by celebration reminds me of Ecclesiastes 3:1–7: “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven… a time to cry and a time to laugh, a time to grieve and a time to dance… a time to be quiet and a time to speak.” Some days we live through entire seasons before lunchtime. For instance, I’m in a season of grieving as I remember my dad, who now lives in heaven, while dancing as I cradle my grandkids. I’m planting seeds of faith as I write my newest Bible study for Abingdon Press and harvesting joy as I watch former Sunday school students grow into amazing parents. I’m learning to be quiet as my grown children find their way. (Lord Jesus, help me keep my opinions to myself.) I’m also learning to speak up as my husband and I navigate new paths in retirement.
Tears and laughter.
Working and resting.
Silence and speaking.
I moved through these seasons just this morning, and you’ve likely experienced many of them in the last day. A life beautifully lived, like a portrait beautifully painted, holds both light and dark tones that create contrast and depth. Artists call this chiaroscuro, an Italian word that’s new to me. Leonardo DaVinci used it masterfully in the Mona Lisa, and Caravaggio employed it to bring drama and realism to his Renaissance works.
Chiaroscuro is still used by artists to draw our eyes to a subject creating intensity and stirring emotion. Similarly, our Heavenly Father uses a divine type of chiaroscuro to draw our eyes to Him. Dark trials have a purpose when we see through eyes of faith. In James 1:2-4 (NLT) we are encouraged to: “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and troubles of any kind come your way, for you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” I crave completeness but still struggle to see trials as good gifts. I cry out during trials and that’s okay. Crying out to God while trusting Him to work all things together for good (Romans 8:28) creates a kind of faith chiaroscuro.
Faith and obedience in hardship pleases God. Reliance on Him strengthens us and brings Him glory. How we walk through suffering beautifully displays our faith to the world around us.
We may not paint like DaVinci, but we can embrace hard things with God-shaped mastery and know joy in every season!
This is the godly chiaroscuro our world needs. Many may never travel to France to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, but they can witness our smile and encouragement in adversity. After all, you and I are God’s masterpieces (Ephesians 2:10).
Our God is the ultimate artist, bending both shadows and light into exquisite art. He paints our lives with chiaroscuro using dark trials to create depth to our character and light to create inspiring beauty.
What joyful moments have you experienced dancing between moments of deep grief this month? Join me and thank God for the good and lay the bad at His feet knowing that He will use both to create beauty in our lives.
© 2026 Resurrection: A United Methodist Church. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone, Part 2: Chapters 16–28. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p. 161.
** William Barclay, Daily Study Bible Series: The Letter to the Hebrews (Revised Edition). Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1976, p. 44.
