Rejoice With Those Who Rejoice, Weep With Those Who Weep

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."  Romans 12:15 ESV

I have a dear friend who lives in another town so I don't get to talk to her as much as I used to.  I knew she and her husband had, had some changes in their lives recently and they were having a time of adjusting.  Today, the Holy Spirit laid my friend on my heart.  I began to feel a tremendous compassion to the point of weeping come upon me.  It was so strong I said something to my husband about it and asked him to help me pray for this dear couple.  As I prayed the Lord spoke something to my heart and told me to call her and encourage her.  I did call and as I began to tell her what the Lord had spoken she began to weep.  As she wept, I wept with her.  The news God had for her was good, but she is in the midst of a battle!  Our conversation ended up with some laughter, but it was mainly a time of letting her know God understood the woundedness of her heart and the compassion He felt for her!  My pastor taught me a valuable lesson recently.  I was having a hard time understanding  people who cried more than they seemed to be in joy.  He gave me a scripture that says," Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is like taking someone's coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in a wound." Proverbs 25:20.  Never make light of another person's load.  We truly have no idea what other people are facing!  Yes, we should be in joy most of the time, but there are times in life when we have to deal with situations that we have to adjust our thinking to.  It would not only be insensitive, but cruel to walk into a funeral home and tell a person to rejoice their loved one was gone and they should just laugh because they know where they are!  Now, a year down the road, this would be wisdom, but at the time when it has just occurred it is practically inhumane!  There is a time or season for everything, including a time to weep.  Be sensitive to others and sensitive to God.  He does sit in the heavenlies and laughs at what satan thinks he is going to do to us, BUT He also bottles our tears!  If you know someone who is in a battle, my friend, remember "Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning." Psalm 30:5.  God is bringing them out and up and the fight we fight is the "good fight of faith".  But, in the meantime, be sensitive to the times of others that they may be in the "heat" of that battle and help them carry that burden through prayer, compassion and love!  Don't tire so quickly of them and expect them to just "snap out of it".  Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ (which is love) just as the word instructs us!  Remember, we reap what we sow!  I want to reap compassion, love, and mercy, therefore I must sow it.  It wasn't long after my mother's open heart surgery that I saw two ladies in the market that I had worked with at one time.  One lady, very nicely and compassionately asked me how my mother was doing.  I told her there had been rough times, but she was growing stronger and it was just part of the healing process.  Healing just takes time sometimes.  The other woman who I had worked with and, ironically, attends my mother's church from time to time (obviously she isn't listening to the minister for my mother goes to an excellent church that teaches the complete word of God!), said to the woman who had asked me the question (she never looked my way), "We talked my dad into the same surgery and he just got worse and worse every single day until he died!  We should have just let him alone and let him go ahead and die and not prolong it!"  She said this with no feeling, flippantly, and as though I was not even standing there hearing it all.  How insensitive!  This was a time to show compassion and mercy, not to speak of bad experiences that had nothing to do with my situation whatsoever!  Words are powerful containers of power!  Be kind and let your words bring healing and be kind in times when others are in the midst of "adjusting".  Never let your attitude and words break, but let them bring forth healing!  They will as we listen to the One Who has loved most!  Have a blessed day, my friend, all day!