A friend of mine once shared with me about a hard season she walked through. She told me she had once worked as a personal assistant for a well-known individual. At the beginning, it went well—her boss was so kind and supportive to her. Later, as the seasons of her life began to change outside of work, she wanted to seek out other more sustainable, long-term employment opportunities. Unfortunately her boss did not take it well. They began spreading rumors about her, and over time, her reputation was ultimately ruined. My friend was devastated. She had given so much of herself to her job and been left with what felt like nothing to show for it. Her boss, who was once so well-meaning, completely turned their back on her. As she cried out to God in complete confusion and pain, with all her questions of “why?” God’s answer was this: “I understand.”
One of the things that makes our God so wonderful is that He is not unfamiliar with our human experience. It can be easy to imagine Him as someone who is sitting on His throne up in heaven, perfect and sovereign, watching over us as we fail or get hurt. But the amazing and humbling reality is that He Himself came to earth and became fully human to become acquainted with our frailty.
Paul explains in Ephesians 2:20–22 that Jesus is the chief cornerstone, fulfilling Psalm 118: “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Psalm 118:22 NIV). He was the stone the builders rejected! He sacrificed Himself and became salvation for us, even though He was cast aside.
Jesus is intimately aware of our struggles. Whether we face uncertainty, rejection, or unmet expectations, He is our Foundation and our Cornerstone. If you read through the stories of our fathers and mothers in the faith, none were perfect, and none were without pain or struggle. But in the midst of it all, they were able to find their strength in Christ the Cornerstone. Even the Apostle Paul wrote from prison, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4 ESV).
I truly believe that throughout Scripture, people found comfort in the power of Jesus’s name and the scars He proudly showed. He walked fully in the human experience and defeated hell and the grave, all so that we could build our lives on His foundation. Whatever you’re experiencing this Advent season, remember that our lives are built upon the strongest foundation. Christ, our Cornerstone, understands us. He is the strong Lion and the sacrificial Lamb; He is our Defender and our Comforter. I don’t know about you, but I can build on that!
