“Suck it up.”
“I’ll pray for you.”
“God will make it better.”
“What’s the worse thing that could happen? You die and go to heaven—doesn’t sound like a bad plan.”
Compassion—I had very little.
Compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy for another’s suffering or misfortune. Jesus had compassion. He healed people and fed people because he had compassion on them. He really cared about people. I wanted to care with that Jesus all-encompassing love that feels another’s pain and can actually help the situation.
So when our study group at church came to the question, “What would you like to leave in this room and not have to deal with again?” I answered, “lack of compassion.”
As a group, we prayed asking the Lord why I lacked compassion. He showed me a brick wall which stood in my way. I was hiding behind the brick wall because I was afraid. I was afraid to be compassionate because God might give me something to do. I feared I would not be able to do whatever it was. Feed the hungry. Care for the sick.
Why couldn’t I do these things? I believed I didn’t have the abilities.
I offered the Lord my fear and reluctance and asked Him what He would give me. He said He would give me gold. The gold could be used as pavement to enter the His kingdom where all things are possible.
I took Him up on the offer. I walked right into His kingdom after I forgave my brothers for helping me believe it was not good to be soft and compassionate.
If you see my eyes water when you tell me your story of hardship or pain, it’s because I have accepted His compassion.
Marian den Boer is the author of Blooming, This Pilgrim's Progress—a devotional like none other.
2 comments:
Marian, thank you for this transparent story. It is 'touche' for me. Praise God that He pours compassion into our hearts as barriers are removed, and His love is "shed abroad" into them.
And I pray that I don't fall back into my old behaviours.
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