By Andrea Merrell
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
slow to anger and great in mercy.
Psalm 145:8
While I’ve never been the victim of an abusive
marriage, painful divorce, or loss of a child, I have friends and family members
who have—many of which have experienced the worst of the worst. Most of them
have moved on past the grief and pain, but a few remain in a quagmire of
hopelessness.
Because I haven’t been there/done that, I cannot
fully relate to their emotional distress. So, what is my responsibility toward
them?
First and foremost is prayer. Even though I don’t
understand, God knows every hurt. Every fear. Every betrayal. Every painful
memory. And most importantly, He is the healer.
People have different responses to the pain of
others. These are the most common:
- Pity—the act of feeling sorry for someone.
- Apathy—a lack of interest or concern.
- Empathy—the ability to put yourself in someone’s shoes and share their feelings.
- Compassion—a feeling of kindness that gives a strong desire to alleviate suffering.
The Bible tells us that Jesus was moved with
compassion when he saw others in need. This is one of the ways we are to become
more Christlike.
Along with prayer, there are many ways to show compassion.
We can be a listening ear. A shoulder to cry on. A safe place for others to vent or simply share their
heart. We can do whatever we can to meet a physical or financial need. Most of all, we can be being a faithful and
trustworthy friend.
Let’s face it, we all need help from time to time.
Apply the Golden Rule, and allow yourself to be moved with compassion.
Apply the Golden Rule, and allow yourself to be moved with compassion.
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