Have you ever had to empathize with someone going through a hard time and found it difficult to know exactly what to say? Empathy is the ability to understand the feelings of another. I think we all have a basic need to be understood. When we feel terribly about something, being understood by someone else, particularly someone we care about, matters a lot.

There’s a big difference between empathy and sympathy. Sympathy involves feelings of pity for another person’s situation. I think that would only make us feel worse.

The Bible tells us to be empathetic towards one another. It says in Romans 12:15, “rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” I know when I feel badly, having someone empathize with me makes a huge difference. It validates my feelings, but more than anything, I feel the other person truly understands me.

I hope we all treat each other with empathy. GOD tells us to love one another and in Matthew 7:12, He tells us to treat others the way we want to be treated ourselves.

I hope as we go about our day, we can take the opportunity to empathize with each other. It may be that your seemingly small act of love and empathy could make a life changing difference to someone else.

God bless you ~M.