Empathy

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Romans 12:15

Empathy is a strange thing, the physical sharing of feeling with another person's circumstance. Our pastor challenged us to have more empathy this past Sunday. His challenge was specific to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, how to just say "Jesus died on the cross" is as commonplace among Christians as "i am having a pb & j sandwich". It is hard to feel the reality of what happened on Good Friday without stopping and considering with all of our senses what the crucifixion would have been like. I appreciated this message and would love to embrace this fully. Also, I know that it is incredibly important as a Christian to pause and empathize with our fellow brothers and sisters who suffer here in this world..but...
But...
Empathy Hurts. When you do it properly, it is extremely unpleasant. But...
But...
the empathy that I can summon up will only take a few minutes of my time, while others with whom I am attempting to empathize are struggling with their reality for the rest of their lives.
Example.
I have heard of many people going through the valley of the shadow of death lately, and my heart has been unsure how to respond to the news. Specifically, I recently had a wonderful sister in Christ go through the loss of a baby boy. The part of me that doesn't want to experience pain and suffering, the part that wants to stay calm and collected all the time, did not want to empathize. I resisted pausing to think about what that would feel like with all of my senses and emotions because I KNEW that if I did, I would fall apart. But then I realized that a few moments of my time to attempt to feel the grief and pain and give in to it out of empathy is nothing compared to actually going through that valley. I did give in to my empathy, and cast myself into prayer during those moments of struggling with what those feelings might possibly be. Again, I will NEVER fully know unless I encounter a similar difficulty in my life; but to use my imagination helps me be more sincere in my plea to God for his grace and peace to come to those who so desperately need it.

I need to remember that there is nothing wrong with an emotional, empathizing response to the news of someone's heartache. It is even good for me to cry out to God with them from my own heart, not just responding with a "oh, that's too bad" or the "how sad." But in the quiet of the time I should spend before my Father, I can feel free to let go of the calm collected prayer, and attempt to empathize with my spiritual family.