2 Words in 1

 

Friday Night Pondering

Empathy is the ability to see situations from another person’s point of view and to even feel what the other person is feeling.

Empathy shapes our attitudes and connects our hearts and emotions to be most effective at communicating God’s heart in any given situation.

We need empathy to appropriately engage with other people’s hearts.

IN FAILURE empathy helps me to feel the pain and anguish others are experiencing.

IN SUCCESS empathy allows me to rejoice with them and to share their joy.

IN FRUSTRATION, empathy keeps me from saying something foolish or snarky or acting as if their frustration is uncalled-for or unreasonable.

IN PAIN, empathy keeps me from communicating with worn out clichés or pat answers. (Like: “You’ll get over it in time” or “Just Let it Go”.)

Empathy is inconvenient and brings about powerful emotional and mental risks. It’s easier and safer to stay aloof and untouched by the pain, frustration, loss and even the exhilaration of success.

To remain untouched by these emotions limits our connection with those we serve. To risk the difficulties of empathy also brings with it the reward of deep connection, trust and genuine community with friends and others in our relationship circles.

The challenge for believers today is to take the risks to empathize with the men and women in your circle of influence. Give them your heart and trust the Lord to sustain you and to speak through you in the process.

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The LORD is Producing Endurance

The LORD is producing endurance whether we like it or not!

TO REMOVE IMPURITIES – GOD USES A HOT FURNACE!

These trials as if by fire are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold – and your faith is far more precious to God than a bit of gold!

“So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world,” 1 Peter 1:7.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

The Lord is working the Bride of Christ overtime right now dealing with selfish ambition, personal comfort, and any other areas of personal agenda or presumption.

Some of the pain you are experiencing is due to the disobedience of those in the Body of Christ around you! They resist the hand of God and react against you in retaliation toward God bringing correction or exposure to their secret lifestyle of personal gain or need for power!

WE ARE NOT ALONE!

“For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart,” Hebrews 12:3.

Admit it! It is hard to not lose heart right now! The world is in a tailspin and lukewarm Christians are showing their true colors! It’s time to deal with this! It is NOT going to go away!

AGONY IS MORE SEVERE WHEN IT IS “ENHANCED” BY TREACHERY!

Jesus went thorough it,

Stephen went through it,

and so did hundreds of others! AND it hurts, and disillusions, and causes us to be so very very weary!

THE MOVE FROM WEAK TO STRONG IS COMING!

When you may ask?

“Can God spread a table in the desert?” Psalm 78:19.

THE ANSWER…

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial;
For once he has been approved,
He will receive the crown of life,
Which the Lord has promised to those who love Him,” James 1:12.

THE FATHER IS URGING US TO RUN TO HIM, TO CLING TO HIM!

He is there! Even in the fog of struggle, loss, anxiety, and also in seeming success. He wants us to be desperate for Him and rely wholly on His voice.

To make all of our decisions based on His plan for the whole earth!

Seek Him.

Lean into His Voice.

Elevate grace and mercy….

… And lower your own opinion of yourself and your abilities to “lecture” others into healing or restoration.

WALK SOBERLY IF YOU ARE LIVING IN ABUNDANCE AT THIS TIME, ON ANY LEVEL

Keep the vigil of prayer you are keeping for others well lit by the reflecting memories of past times when you yourself needed the Merciful Hand of God to lift you from agony and redeem your life from the pit.

Let us be so devoted to the “One” who lavished and spilled out all He had, that we might repeat His actions, and in so doing, bring His Glory to it’s fullest measure and depth.

Mercy…. Endures…. Forever.

“Then will the lame leap like a deer,
And the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
And streams in the desert,” Isaiah 35:6.

 

In His Shadow,
~ Mary Lindow ^©

Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed as long as complete message and website information for Mary Lindow is included. Thank You!

” THE MESSENGER ” ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
Global Prayer Rooms

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Mary Lindow has a passion for encouraging others – all generations, careers or vocations to live expressing excellence through personal integrity, healthy accountability, and wise management of talents and skills. She’s a sought after keynote, inspirational, humorous speaker and teacher across the USA and internationally in Ministers & Spiritual leaders Conferences, and training seminars for various organizations.

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