Compassion and Prayer

Compassion means to suffer with, to live with those who suffer. When Jesus saw the woman of Nain he realized, This is a widow who has lost her only son, and he was moved by compassion. He felt the pain of that woman in his guts. He felt her pain so deeply in his spirit that out of compassion he called the son to life so he could give that son back to his mother.
Henri J. M. Nouwen

I have a problem. I always thought that I am who I am, and this is just the way I naturally am. I have continually assumed this about myself, but now I doubt its validity. I have a lack of passion. I do not excite easily, and I do not become sorrowful easily either. I am a person whose emotions are generally very even keeled.

That sounds like something which is not a matter of concern and could even be desirous, but now I understand that it is not how I was created. I was created to be a person of passion. When events happen in my life, for good or evil, I take it in stride.  I am not saying I am emotionless. I am saying I do not feel the deep passions which others feel. I do not have the compassion for people which I should  have.  I don’t become sorrowful at the death of someone. I don’t become thrilled when someone is healed. I merely think that God has moved.  His will was done. Blessed be the name of the lord.  Prayer, without compassion, is weak and powerless.

Compassion, without the power of prayer, reaps sorrow. The Holy Spirit taught me that today in my quiet time. I was dumbstruck. I had never understood until then about compassion and prayer. They are intimately intertwined together. You cannot have one without the other and live an effective Christian life.

To have a deep compassion and no power in prayer, will only send you into the deep pit of depression. You see the needs in the world, but you have no way to meet those needs. You see sickness and pain, but you can only stand by and watch the people die and suffer. God does not want you to have a compassion for people and not be able to do something about it. Jesus had compassion. When the scriptures speak of his compassion, he reached out to help people. He cured the blind. He cast out the demons. He fed the 5000. He raised the dead. All because he had compassion for people and then reached out with the power from God to meet the need.

I am praying to know the compassion of Christ. He will answer my prayer because He wants me to know His heart. He wants me to cry with Him and rejoice with Him. He wants me to know the heart pain He holds for people. I want to know His pain and I hunger for His passion.

When I have the compassion of Christ, my prayers will then have the power of Christ as well.  I will not be uttering empty words as I pray, but words of love and compassion.  My heart will hunger for healing and not be satisfied with saying “Well, I guess it is just God’s will for you to stay this way.”  Prayer without compassion is weak and anemic.

I refuse to stay weak and anemic.  I refuse to settle for anything less than the heart of Christ.  I will not stand by and let people suffer without me suffering with them.  I will know the tears of God.  I will know his compassion.  Once I know His compassion, I will also know His power to meet those needs.  I will pray and the needs of the people will be met by His power.   The blind will see. The lame will walk. The dying shall live. People will see and know God

Photo Credit: Sorrow by bluestar_tam


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