Compassion: Suffering with another person in a trial or burden. (Hebrews 10:34)
We are grateful to lead Intimate Encounter classes with couples. Intimate Encounters is a marriage ministry/workbook. With each class – and it rarely fails – someone in our class discovers a new depth of unmet needs or past hurt that they either didn’t know about or had pushed deep down. We have had individuals just fall to pieces in front of us, and our hearts were overwhelmed with compassion! Have you ever experienced being brought to tears by another’s pain? That is a clear example of compassion, friends.
To experience compassion you don’t necessarily need to have walked in that person’s shoes exactly, but you may be able to identify with deep pain from other origins…leading to compassion for that individual. We may not always be able to identify the exact circumstance, but we can relate to others based on past experiences of our own.
There have been times when I have been at church and observed someone crying. The Holy Spirit would prompt me to speak to the hurting person, but usually I had to fight off the fear that I would look like an idiot. The Holy Spirit won, so I went up to that person and laid a hand on her shoulder. In this case no words were needed. God just wanted to use me as His arms of compassion to reach another. I have had a stranger come to me at a funeral and hug me as I cried. No words again, just heartfelt compassion.
When my (Linda) mom died, I remember clearly two scenarios from that time. I was staying alone in a hotel since I had come from out of town. My mom was very ill with cancer. She died early in the morning after my sister and I had stayed with her through the night. When I got back to my hotel, it was clear I had been crying. I went to purchase some water at the front desk, and the desk person asked if I was OK? I broke down and shared that I just watched my mother pass away. This total stranger…hugged me! She didn’t know me, but she was moved with compassion for me.
Later that same day, I walked across the street to a restaurant. I sat in my booth, alone, just sobbing my eyes out. Each time the waitress came to my table, no words were spoken from her to me about my clear state of distress. I felt so very alone. A simple, “Are you ok?”, would have spoken volumes to my heart at that moment.
It is not always easy to console someone in pain, but we don’t need to say much to convey compassion to another. We just need to be present with them, sharing in their emotion.
Check out this very clear truth from God’s Word about how compassion works:
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
Walk in the Light of Jesus – Can you recall a time Jesus showed compassion in His ministry to others? Can you remember a time when you went to Him in need of compassion and got it? He stands ready because He loves you and me so much.
Walk in the Light of God’s Word – Please reread 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 and ask God to reveal someone today or tomorrow who needs to receive His comfort through you? Are you willing to obey His prompting and let another human being know that someone cares enough to show God’s love? Maybe you will use words. Maybe you won’t.
Walk in the Light of Real Fellowship – Most people you know have “stuff” going on, don’t they? Maybe you could talk this idea over with a friend and share some of the ways you have received or given comfort, or perhaps some times when you needed it and didn’t get it? That is what alone feels like, my friend.