When we resist the pain life brings us, all of our energy goes into resistance, and we have none left for the pursuit of our purpose. It is the better part of wisdom to let pain do its work and shape us as it will. We will be wiser, deeper, and more productive in the long run. There is a great promise in the New Testament that says God comes to us to comfort us so we can turn around and comfort those who are hurting with the comfort we have received from Him (see 2 Corinthians 1:3–4). Make yourself available to God and to those who suffer. A large part of our own healing comes when we reach out with compassion to others.
Compassion
Brian Simmons
We criticise others instead of loving them as they are. We love to pass verdicts on others, as though we were judges. Judging others is not our task. Our debt of love compels us to lay aside our premature judgments, which keeps agape love from flowing out of us. We become unconditional lovers. The Lord spoke to me once and said: “You don’t have to appear for jury duty.”
Samuel Chadwick
Compassion costs. It is easy enough to argue, criticize, and condemn, but redemption is costly, and comfort draws from the deep. Brains can argue, but it takes heart to comfort.
Christine Caine
All of us must daily do whatever we can within our sphere of influence to ensure that we treat every human being with love, respect and dignity, and ensure that we acknowledge the image of God in every person. Together, we can be the difference we want to see in this world.
Ole Kristian O. Hallesby
When prayer is a struggle, do not worry about the prayers that you cannot pray. You yourself are a prayer to God at that moment. All that is within you cries out to Him. And he hears all the pleas that your suffering soul and body are making to Him with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Jack Frost
How do the lost and hurting feel around you? Do they sense your compassion and concern, or do they feel devalued, shamed, or belittled?
Henri J.M. Nouwen
When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not-knowing, not-curing, not-healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.
Seth Dahl
Pity will imitate compassion while simultaneously hiding it from us. Pity wants nothing more than for us to think we are acting with compassion, so we believe we are doing something good and godly, while in reality we are assisting evil. Knowing the difference is crucial, here’s a few ways to recognize that difference: Pity steals power (by doing for others what they can do themselves) while compassion imparts it. Pity will let others convince us they are helpless so we step in and rescue them, thereby strengthening the victim mindset in them. Compassion refuses to believe people are helpless and allows them opportunities to discover that. Pity leaves people in their problems while compassion pulls them out. Pity hides the truth to protect emotions, compassion tells the truth in a loving way. Pity seems nice but isn’t. Compassion sometimes appears mean but is truly kind. Don’t let pity hide the very thing it’s pretending to be.
William Booth
While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now I’ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight; I’ll fight to the very end!
Brennan Manning
Live in the wisdom of accepted tenderness. Tenderness awakens within the security of knowing we are thoroughly and sincerely liked by someone… Scripture suggests that the essence of the divine nature is compassion and that the heart of God is defined by tenderness.