Do You Still Not Understand?

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“ARGH!” 

If you’ve ever tried to express yourself to someone and they just wouldn’t listen, then you know the feeling of exasperation.

Sometimes we think of difficult emotions like exasperation as ‘bad’ emotions. We may erroneously think that we should always feel happy. We may think, too, that because Jesus was God, He always felt happy. 

But Jesus was also a man, with all of our human emotions. We see this in Mark’s gospel, right after He performs several miracles, including feeding the multitudes. The Pharisees insist He give them yet another sign to prove Himself. Mark writes, ‘He sighed from the depth of His spirit’ (Mark 8:12). That’s quite a vivid description of Christ’s exasperation! Later, when the apostles fail to grasp the meaning behind His miracles, He sounds frustrated with their lack of comprehension: “Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8:21).

These verses, and others, remind us of Jesus’ humanity. He felt frustrated, sad, afraid, and all the rest, just like we do. He felt tempted to do what He wanted instead of what His Father wanted, just like we do. And, He felt the same kinds of physical discomforts that we do. Surely, His back and feet hurt after a full day of healing people. He certainly felt agonizing physical pain during His passion. 

What does all this mean for us? When we realize that Jesus experienced the same emotions and challenges we do, He becomes more approachable. He’s not some elusive being in the sky. No. He wants to be in a deep relationship with us, and He goes to great lengths to draw us closer to Himself.

Listen to what Our Lord may be telling you today:

Do you still not understand?

Do you not see all I have given you, and done for you?

Do you not see all the miracles around you?

Do you insist on having more?

When will you understand that everything I do and have done for you is to bring you closer to Me? To let you see yourself as I see you, love yourself as I love you, love others as I love you?

I want you to come close to Me, to learn from Me, to share your day with Me, all your joys and sorrows and accomplishments and challenges. Come to Me and bring them all to Me. Let Me show you how much I delight in you.

Look all around you. See the miracles. Let gratitude fill you.

See My love for you in everything and everyone I have given you.

See the meaning behind the miracles. See how I use them to bring you to Me. Come closer to Me.

Listen to Him. Trust Him. He wants you to go deeper.

“He said to them, ‘Do you still not understand?’” – Mark 8:21 

Open my eyes, that I may see You. Open my ears, that I may hear You. Open my heart, that I may love You in the people around me.

Thank you for reading my reflection.  All thanks to God for giving me the ideas and guiding my words!    © 2025 Gina Bedell   

  

Through these reflections, I invite you, the reader, to reflect on a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other qualified persons in order to grow in your faith and understanding of God’s love and will for your life. 

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P.S.

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