“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16 NASB1995)
In this biblical context, “weaknesses” appear to be specifically targeted toward the subject of temptation to sin. But it can also refer to disease, infirmity, sickness, and physical ailments of the human body.
For example we read in 2 Corinthians 12 about Paul’s “thorn in the flesh,” which was not sin, for God will never refuse to remove sin from our lives, and God’s power is not perfected in sin. But even though Paul pleaded to the Lord to have the “thorn in the flesh” removed from his body, God’s answer was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”
And Paul’s response to this was, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” Amen! He had the right heart response to God.
And in Romans 8, in the context of Paul speaking of the sufferings of this present time, which are “not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us,” he stated, “But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it,” in reference, I believe, to the return of our Lord when we will no longer be in these flesh bodies suffering physically and/or emotionally, for various reasons, but we will be with our Lord.
And then he said, “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:26-28 NASB1995)
Paul also spoke in 1 Corinthians 2 of when he came to the church there, that he was with them “in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,” and his message and his preaching were not in “persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” Since Paul did suffer much physical persecution and trials and tribulations, this could have included physical weakness as well as humbleness of mind and modesty in preaching.
And Jesus Christ himself knew what it was like to be physically weak when his enemies arranged for his arrest and trial and death on a cross on false charges, and they had him beaten and whipped beyond recognition, and then they nailed him to a cross to suffer and to die, as though he was a common criminal. But it was in the will of God that he should suffer and die on that cross, for in his death he put our sins to death with him so that, by faith in him, we can now die to sin and walk in obedience to our Lord.
[Luke 23:33-46; Romans 6:1-23; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15,21; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Titus 2:11-14]
So, our time of need might be in a time of physical ailments and sufferings which have nothing to do with sin in our lives, but which God has allowed in our lives for his purposes: To produce within us endurance, godly character, hope, steadfastness, and spiritual maturity. To test the genuineness of our faith. To give opportunity for us to bear witness for Jesus Christ. That we might comfort others in their sufferings. To make us rely not on ourselves, but on God. Because God disciplines those he loves for our good that we may share in his holiness, that it might yield the fruit of righteousness.
[Luke 21:13; Romans 5:3-5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Hebrews 12:3-12; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7]
And this is very personal to me right now because of the sufferings that my Lord is allowing me to go through physically and emotionally, and for many of the same reasons as are listed above. For in the past 40 days the Lord has had me going through a series of tests to see what is going on inside of my body due to chest pain, chest pressure, and difficulty breathing, which has not ceased. And so far I have been diagnosed with a lung tumor (nodule), which is possibly cancerous, a breathing disorder where I am only breathing at 44% of 100% breathing capacity, heart failure, a possible cancerous brain tumor, and a breast nodule which also could be cancerous.
So more tests are needed. And I am tired physically and emotionally. But I am trusting the Lord that he has allowed all this in my life for my good and for his purposes, and that good will come out of this somehow. And so I rest in him, and I take this all one day and one step at a time, believing that God will work all this out for his purposes, and for his glory, and for my good.
His Tender Mercies
An Original Work / January 26, 2014
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Fear not! I’m with you.
Be not dismayed!
God watches o’er you.
Trust Him today.
He’ll lead and guide you;
Give you His aid.
He’ll love and keep you
With Him always.
Walk in His footsteps.
He’ll lead the way.
Trust in His love;
Believe that He cares.
He will not leave you.
Faithful He’ll be.
His tender mercies
Now you will see.
Fellowship with Him
Throughout the day.
Tell Him your heartaches.
He’ll heal always.
Rest in His comfort.
He is your friend.
Your faith He’ll strengthen,
True to the end.
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Sufferings Have a Purpose
An Original Work / October 27, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
