Sympathetic Consciousness of Others’ Distress

Good Sunday Everyone!

Last Wednesday night, during worship time at Destiny Family Center, God asked me to look around at the people in the auditorium. He asked me to start paying more attention to the PEOPLE I was ministering to rather than how successfully I pulled off my messages. 

As I looked at different people, it was as if I could see straight down into their souls. In that moment, all pretense was stripped away and I could see and FEEL the real state of EVERYONE. Nothing was hidden!  

Well, as you can imagine… this experience really boosted my compassion… I almost started crying as I listened in on the thoughts of some people. The difference was felt in that service and then again on Friday night in Pikeville, Kentucky… and that difference will be felt again this morning at DFC.

Compassion is defined as a sympathetic CONSCIOUSNESS of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.

Mark 6:34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had COMPASSION on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. 

Mark 8:1-3 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have COMPASSION for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”

Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with COMPASSION, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Jesus demonstrated a SYMPATHETIC CONSCIOUSNESS of others’ distress, together with a DESIRE to alleviate the pain! He wasn’t in front of the LARGE CROWDS to PULL OF SUCCESSFUL CHURCH SERVICES… but to FEEL their real needs… to be MOVED by their pain… to LOVE HIS AUDIENCES and HEAL THEM!

I want to be more like this in my own life… we should all aim at developing a far deeper SYMPATHETIC CONSCIOUSNESS of others’ distress. What a difference this will make in our EFFECTIVENESS!  

I pray that you guys and gals will have an amazing Sunday… that you will make a bigger DIFFERENCE than any Sunday before this one! Thanks for reading todays blog and loving this blog site! God bless you all in so many ways! Here’s a video recored live at Destiny Family Center a few years ago… enjoy!