I’ve chosen this advent season to lean into the heart of God
with this question in mind, “What are the treasures of Jesus’ incarnation that
I’ve overlooked?”
On Day 1 of asking this question to Father God, I was
immediately met with the answer, “Empathy.” So, I went to the internet to
google the definition of empathy for a better understanding of what that meant
exactly.
Empathy denotes a deep emotional understanding of another’s
feelings or problems. It is the
power of understanding
and imaginatively entering into another
person's feelings. It is further defined
as the identifying with or
vicariously
experiencing the feelings, thoughts, motives and experience of another of
either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and
experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner.
I was awe struck with just how deeply
we are understood by Jesus.
So imagine my surprise on Day 2 of
advent season when I ask the question of Holy Spirit, “Holy Spirit, what are
the treasures of Jesus’ incarnation that I’ve overlooked?” and He responds with
the exact same answer…empathy.
Convinced that my “maker upper” has
responded and not the Holy Spirit, I repeat the question. Then Jesus replies,
“Felicia, empathy is a really big deal.
I GET YOU. How can we walk together in relationship if I am
unrelate-able? I feel what you feel. I see what you see. I have thought the
things you thought. There is nothing about your existence that I have not
experienced in mind. I am intimately acquainted with every part of who you are.
So many people don’t come to Me because they don’t think I can relate. “
In that moment lost in the words, “I
GET YOU,” I realized that Immanuel is not a God who is far off. We say it, yes.
But I think sometimes we live as if His Presence is only here when we’re in
worship or when we’re praying or when we’re in a corporate setting amongst
other believers. But in that moment, deep in my heart, a truth that has been
forming for a while was completely unlocked. Immanuel gets me. Immanuel is here
with me, not just in worship or prayer or corporate settings. He is forever one
with me, every minute of every hour of every day of my existence.
I no longer have to feel misunderstood.
For there is One who gets me. I no
longer have to feel like I’m the only one who thinks a certain way. For there
is One who understands my thought process. What a comforting reality.
