I know it's been a while since I've posted anything, but today I started considering something in my head and heart. Since I'm and external processor, I figure here is a good a place as any to talk this all out with myself.
Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."
I've always been really great with the "rejoice with those who rejoice" part of Romans 12:15. It's easy. Something exciting happens, and the joy is just so infectious. It's hard not to rejoice with those people.
The part that has not come so naturally is the "mourn with those who mourn" part of Romans 12:15. Sympathy is easy for me. When something sad happens, it is easy to feel sad for the situation someone is in. Agreeing that something someone is going through is sad is simple. It is being a shoulder to cry on while you allow yourself to be the rock for someone in a situation. That being said, I think that sympathy is great. It is necessary, but does sympathy really count as mourning with those who mourn? I'm not entirely sure that it does. To truly and effectively mourn with those who mourn in a real way, I think empathy is necessary.
So, sympathy is the easy part. Empathy, on the other hand, is not something natural to me. It happens every now and then, but its not really a regular occurrence... until recently. In the past few months, something has shifted in my heart, and I find myself more emotionally vulnerable. Sympathy allows for a certain amount of distance from a situation, but empathy puts you right at the heart of the issue. Empathy takes the barrier of emotional distance and rips it to shreds.
I'm not sure what shifted in my heart that has allowed me to experience true empathy on a fairly regular basis, but experiencing what it really feels like to mourn with those who mourn has been quite an adventure. It is a gift, even on the days that my heart is breaking for those around me.
I pray that I can continue to truly rejoice with those who rejoice and share in their joy. I pray that I can continue to truly mourn with those who mourn and share in their sorrow, even when it hurts.
