Thoughts for Life: I Feel Your Pain

Mary Southerland It was Easter Sunday, and I was sitting in the sanctuary waiting for the worship service to begin.

Anticipating a large crowd, I arrived early to drop Jered off in the nursery, one of his favorite places to go since every nursery worker doted on him.

As the choir filed in, a friend slipped into the pew beside me and said, 'I think you need to go to the nursery. Something is wrong with Jered.'

Jumping up, I leapt over legs, toes, and pews as I raced to the church nursery and my son.

I was not prepared for what I saw. In a far corner, lying on his favorite red mat was Jered, staring at the ceiling, silent and rigid.

As I bent over him, searching his beautiful blue eyes, huge tears slid down his chubby cheeks as he flew into my arms, sobbing.

You have to understand – as a baby, Jered cried only when he was hungry, wet, or sick. He always seemed to be smiling, happy, and contented.

Something was obviously very wrong. I kissed his forehead. No fever. I checked his diaper. Dry and clean. The snack box I had packed for him earlier that morning was empty.

I had no idea what had broken my son’s heart, but I certainly intended to find out.

Just then, Mrs. Giles, Jered’s favorite nursery worker, drew me aside and said, 'Let me tell you what happened. We had a new little girl in the nursery today. It was her first time in a church nursery – ever.

When her parents left, she immediately began screaming and wouldn’t stop. Jered came running and wrapped his arms around her, but she pushed him away.

He then brought her his bottle, but she hurled it across the room and continued screaming. Desperate to help her, Jered then found his diaper bag and fished out Turtle.'

Turtle was a small, green-and-blue stuffed turtle we had given Jered during a stay in the hospital when he was seriously ill with the croup. From the moment Jered saw Turtle, they were inseparable.

He slept with Turtle clutched tightly in one hand, ate with Turtle sitting in his lap or on the table beside his plate, and carefully tucked Turtle in his diaper bag whenever we left the house. Turtle was his most precious possession and an invaluable source of comfort to him.

Mrs. Giles continued, 'I couldn’t believe Jered was willing to give Turtle to a stranger, but he tried.'

The crying child took one look at Turtle and threw it in Jered’s face. Stunned, he picked up Turtle, dusted it off, and lay down on the mat, refusing to move, the stuffed animal clutched tightly in his arms.

Then I knew. I knew Jered couldn’t stand to see the little girl in pain and was determined to comfort her. When he couldn’t, he retreated, waiting for someone else to help.

That’s compassion.

Compassion is not just sympathy; it is empathy.

When it comes to dealing with difficult people, we mistakenly equate compassion with 'fixing' them.

Genuine compassion is first able to feel their pain.

I believe one of the reasons we encounter and are commanded to deal with sandpaper people, the difficult people in life, is because the more pain we experience, the more compassionate we will be.

We must learn to use our pain in the right way, not lashing out, but looking within to share the pain of others.

There is a choice in every pain, an opportunity in every trial.

Pain makes us focus inward or outward. It makes us martyrs or merciful. The choice is ours.

We can either ignore the need, or we can meet the need by giving away part of the comfort God has given us when we have been in pain.

Galatians 6:2 (NLT) “Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”

If we can’t prevent pain, we can at least lighten the load with compassion.

Alan Redpath wrote, “You can never lighten the load unless you have first felt the pressure in your own soul.”

Compassion makes us willing to feel the pain of others, responding as if it were our own."

Read the story of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:31-37

Today’s Truth

"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 have received from God" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV).

Let’s Pray

Father, forgive me when I respond in anger to the difficult people in my life. I really want Your love to flow through me to each sandpaper person I meet. Please give me Your heart of compassion to feel their pain, and then teach me how to look for ways to help ease that pain. In Jesus’ name, Amen."

January 2, 2014
I Feel Your Pain
Mary Southerland

Today's quote: Veneal Williams – “Scripture teaches us to be thankful in every circumstance…even when it drives us a little batty. By being obedient in our thankfulness, God’s provision is all the more sweeter. In that obedience lies His will for us.”

Some thoughts today: Jesus was giving thanks at the last supper with His disciples, even He knew what was about to happen!

- Think of the many things you are thankful for: good health, sight & hearing, salvation, your home, vehicle, challenges that keep you close to God, family, sunshine, birds singing, views of lakes or oceans, church family, friends, caring pastors and leaders, Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter, and healthful foods to eat.

4th- Tuesday’s post: #59 Three Types of Personal Intercessors C. Peter Wagner

6th- Thursday's post: #60 Gary Greenwald's Team C. Peter Wagner

8th- Saturday's post: Are You Afraid of Losing Your Salvation? Michael Brooks

9th- Sunday's post: When God is Silent Dr. Charles Stanley

A popular post: Sandpaper People Mary Southerland - "I recently read the story of a young reporter who approached an older gentleman on his 100th birthday. ‘I want to wish you a happy birthday, Sir. I have just one question for you."