– Blog Post written by Bobby Conti, Legacy Retreat attendee and now volunteer.

Far-off, unknowable, unrelatable. Are these words you use to describe God?

It is not uncommon for people to feel that God doesn’t know what they are going through, especially in times of suffering, or when an illness strikes. The most common questions in such a case are “Why did this Happen?” “What am I going to do?” and “Does God even know how hard this is?”

Seeing God as being “the big man in the sky” who sits on a cloud all day while throwing punishments on us “just because” is a very popular belief and is the reason why many become atheist.

However, although it is common to feel this way, this is not the nature of God.

Jesus, “Who, being in the form of God,” (Philippians 2:6 ESV) walked on this earth for 33 years and suffered just as much as we do. In fact, Scripture says that he “was a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.” (Isaiah 53:3) Hebrews 2:10 says “For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.” In other words, Jesus was able to be perfectly relatable to us through his suffering.

One scripture that is very famous (because it’s so short) is John 11:35, which says “Jesus wept.” He wept because his friend Lazarus had died.

But that was not the end of Lazarus.

Lazarus was raised to life because God does not turn a blind eye to suffering. (Psalms 22:24)

That is still true today.

Jesus said “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

God is not someone who has no clue why we suffer. He’s been through it, conquered it, and walks with us.