We place a high value on experience in our culture.
Job postings inform the potential applicant just how much experience they must have in order to qualify for the position.
Political candidates talk about what they’ve achieved in the past to convince us that they are the right person to solve the problems of the future.
Friends seek advice from others who have “been there.”
We value experience because we believe that it offers a perspective that mere intellectual knowledge does not afford. We believe that we can trust someone who has successfully navigated the road that we wish to conquer.
Yet, in our pursuit of holiness, we often neglect to turn to the One who has the best experience. We turn to friends, and pastors, Christian “celebrities” and spiritual heroes rather than looking to Christ.
And while all of these may be able to offer some assistance, they can’t offer the most assistance. Christ is not only all-powerful and is therefore able to help us successfully conquer our sin, but Hebrews 4:15 tells us that He was tempted in every respect – demonstrating that there is no situation that we face that He can not identify with. There is no struggle that He does not understand; no frustration of which He is unaware. While contending with all the temptations of this world, He still lived a life that was perfectly honoring to God. We may be inclined to think that this was easy for Him – that Christ never fully experienced the weight of temptation, but Hebrews tells us this simply is not true. It says that He was tempted “as we are, yet without sin.”
Not only is this important to understand in our own struggle with sin, but it is also important as we seek to help other in their walk with God. Instead of relying on our own wisdom or insight, our counsel and advice must point to Christ. He must be the example to which we turn. He, and not us or our “experience”, must be the source of help.
Not only does Christ understand the struggle that we face, but He is able to help us conquer it. He knows the way. And the more we look to Him as our source of help, the more our lives will look like His.