In the Trenches
In the last few months, I have attended two heart-wrenching funerals. A young couple burying their baby daughter and parents mourning the loss of their seventeen year old, precious son. There are no words to express the level of their suffering.
People are hurting.
No one, in any circumstance, is immune to the pain and evil in this world.
I look at my own prayer list over the last few days… Christian friends dealing with divorce, drug abuse, adultery, illness, teen suicide—-unimaginable pain.
We see struggles all around us. It really doesn’t matter how the pain originated– by sin or by situation. The fact remains: “The struggle is real.” And what should be our response to these struggles? Nothing less than the response of Jesus…Compassion.
Here are four facts I have come to know:
- Bad things happen to good people.
- Bad things happen to bad people.
- Bad things happen to people who make poor decisions.
- Bad things happen to people when someone they love makes a poor decision.
It’s clear, we will face challenges in this life.
Compassion flows freely when someone we love suffers a loss. It can be a little more difficult when a friend, a spouse or a member of our church family falls into the clutches of evil. Evil comes in many forms: Temptation, anger, greed, lust, discouragement, even apathy. Who are we to judge another’s struggles?
Jesus stood before the Samaritan woman at the well in John chapter 4 knowing all the sordid details her marriages/affairs. He acknowledged her pain. He knew her past. He saw her future. Jesus made her future His focus. Rather than fling her into the depths of hell, he gave her “living water.” Mercy. Grace. Compassion. A soul saved…
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am Gentle and Humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29
I love this verse. Do you sense the compassion? Do you feel the peace?
Compassion. It is a beautiful response to a suffering heart.
Judging is easy. Gossiping even more juvenile. But to have compassion for another’s pain is to unselfishly GIVE.
To give love, to give kindness, to give gentleness, to give peace, to give hope. This is what we can do unselfishly and without judgement. Ahhhh, a soothing salve for a deep wound. A tear gently wiped away. A heart mended. A soul saved…
We are fighting a very real war, my friend. A war against evil and not against one another. We are fighting our common enemy, Satan; but we serve an all powerful God.
We are in the trenches together!
It is our privilege and duty to bring aid to a wounded fellow soldier. ~~Compassion~~
Reach out to those hurting around you. Give compassion, give hope.
A soul you may save…
With Love,
Nikki
Photo courtesy of BBC Schools; “Life in the Trenches” and can be found here.
