Sitting with someone in suffering challenges your faith and self-centered tendencies. Selfishness and pettiness become all too transparent and wobbly faith is challenged by the grace and trust that are the only things (the most important things) that those suffering are forced to cling too when there is nothing else to hold on to. And while all I can do is watch helplessly as they sit through the flames I know there is only One who can stop the flames.
Sitting with someone in suffering tests the depth of your care towards those you claim you love. It is to show that the uncomfortableness of pain does not deter you and to offer even foolish, inadequate words and press into that space of darkness is an act of deeper love that goes beyond thinking only of yourself. And while I wish I could somehow take their suffering for them and share with them some of my own blessings instead, how much more can Jesus shoulder burdens and give of Himself.
Jesus - Man of sorrows.
Immanuel - God is with us.
King - He will makes all things right.
He takes our suffering. He sits with us in our most destitute and needy of hours. And instead of being repulsed, He is moved to compassion. May we have the same humility and love to do likewise.
Because one day, hopefully, you may have the opportunity to be present with someone in their suffering and one day, most certainty, you will get to be the one who needs to be sat with.