Jesus sighed deeply and said, “Why do you people ask for a miracle as a sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to you.”
This scripture from Mark 8:11 paints a picture that is probably familiar to most of us. Circumstances and situations arise in your life that cause you to feel like there’s nothing you can do, but heave a sigh. After all, you’ve given detailed explanations before, but to no avail. Maybe you tried to help a friend understand how important it is to consider their health, but they stay on the same slippery slope and the only thing that changes is that they have increased health issues. Maybe you’ve tried to convince your children you created house rules to protect them and help household things run smoothly. When they ignore the house rules, you are only left with a sigh.
Jesus, like you, tried to explain things to the people He loved. He wanted His disciples to understand the things of God, and each time He thought they understood the message, they would ask a question that showed, they didn’t get His point at all. In the passage in Mark, we see that Jesus not only sighed, but He sighed deeply. He took in their words and realized they were still lost and that made Him sad. He knew His time was short and His followers had so much more to learn. Sigh!
You may feel that way about people you love, people you’ve tried hard to help, encourage, and guide. You may think you have finally made a difference, only to have them go off and simply fall down again. Whatever the reason, your sigh comes from a sad and frustrated heart.
The thing is that any of us can cause God to sigh deeply whenever we are unwilling to listen to Him and change our ways. His faithfulness means He will not give up on us. As you pray through those things that cause you to heave a sigh over others, or even over things you do, remember that God will never stop finding ways to help bring real understanding.
May you be filled with wisdom and joy in all you do today.