To know that His heart is for me, and not against me....changes everything!

Compassion, what is it?  The etymology of "compassion" is Latin, meaning "co-suffering." Just as 1 John 4:8 say's Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. It takes God to love God. Likewise it takes co-suffering to know how to love those in pain rightly, to have; compassion. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Instead, we have one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet he never sinned." Hebrews 4:15. I'm blessed that He is one that knows my pain."Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted" Hebrews 2:18. What I have is rare, it's hard to find a whole lot of people out there that understand how I feel. The Lord was gracious to remind me that: "No temptation/trial has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13. My Heavenly Father, what a great example of Compassion. More virtuous than simple empathy, compassion commonly gives rise to an active desire to alleviate another's suffering. I'm reminded here of the greatest sacrifice that was ever made; God gave his only Son : "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21. He took the place of another. What about all the pain, sickness, disease, fatigue....that I've suffered? It's not in vain. I believe that in ways I've become a sacrifice so that I can have compassion for those who are hurting. "Now I’m happy to be suffering for you. I’m completing what is missing from Christ’s sufferings with my own body. I’m doing this for the sake of his body, which is the church." Colossians 1:24. The pain Jesus suffered wasn't because of something He did. He's a spotless sacrifice. It was done like this, so that God would be glorified in the suffering. "His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." John 2:9.  Just as God was glorified in Jesus' suffering, so will God be glorified in mine.

 "After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." 1 Peter 5:10
 
"He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:29-31

Like the shoes I wear are custom made for me, so is this journey I'm on.

Would you, could you walk a mile in someone else's shoes? Would you only pick the ones that best suit you, or would you be afraid to go out of style just for awhile? Would you stretch out your hands so that someone else could stand? Would you dare to take a look at life through another lens? Could you take a moment to stop pretending you care? When life hits home is it only then that you'll make amends? Are you willing to step outside of your box, the picture perfect world your trying to create? Would you step out of your comfort zone to be someone else's only hope? For those who are hurting live life behind broken glass and shattered dreams. Becoming weak so someone else could be strong, becoming strong so that they could speak of one greater than. Maybe your the only one who could reach them. Well then will you beseech them : Who will you look to when everything is falling down around you? There's Only One who's walked this path before, who knows every step to take, Only One and He is the Shepherd, He leads perfectly!


Preaching to the Choir!