Are you touched by events which affect other people? Do their feelings mean much to you? Romans 12:15 gives a simple command . . . Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. What does this mean for the believer who reads these words? In the simplest of terms it is an exhortation to avoid becoming cold-hearted.
The Christian life is to marked by a love which seeks the best for others. However, the person who becomes too wrapped up in their own needs and desires can become pretty unfeeling, essentially unaffected by emotions. Though our relationship with the Lord, and ultimately with others, is not to be based upon feelings or emotions, it should include the ability to sense the feelings of others and respond accordingly.
It may seem a little funny that Paul would need to encourage his readers to rejoice with those who rejoice, but perhaps it is harder to rejoice with others than it is to feel their pain. Too often the first response to the good fortune of others is to think, "Why couldn't that have been me?" or "I never get a break like that!" Envy and jealousy can be real problems, even for the believer. We tend to buy into the entitlement mentality of this world which leads us to expect, even demand that we get our "fair share." A true Christian spirit, on the other hand, sees the blessings others receive and thanks God for His favor upon them. Such a person is content because he/she recognizes and appreciates God's blessings for their own life.
The Christian is also to mourn with those who mourn. Heartbreak and anguish is an all too common experience among human beings. Life is filled with disappointments, loss, frustrations, letdowns, physical injury and illness . . . all manner of reasons to mourn. Think for just a moment about all the songs which have been written in the midst of pain and sorrow. Those songs usually gain popularity, at least in part, because almost everyone can share to some degree in what the songwriter has experienced.
How should we respond when we encounter the mourning (pain and suffering) of others? One thing is to allow ourselves to be touched by their distress. It can become pretty easy to "tune out" the cries of others and just look the other way. Oh, there are a thousand reasons why we can't become involved, can't afford to let ourselves drop our guard. But, Paul is saying to us, "See their pain and get involved. Sometimes that simply means to let ourselves cry with them, or to listen quietly while they pour out their feelings. Then, there are the times when we can, and should, meet some practical need.
There is another thing we should also do -- pray for them! I can just hear someone scoffing, "Oh sure, when you can't think of something better to do just pray." Fact is, the most significant thing we can do for anyone, mourning or not, is to humble ourselves before a gracious Heavenly Father and ask that He pour out His blessing on the one who is experiencing troubling times. Often, it is the midst of our praying for someone that the Lord reveals how He wants us to be His instrument for ministry to the one we are praying for.
A final thought. Your own experiences in life may qualify you as just the right person to minister to the hurting person you encounter. Why does God allow His children to experience pain? Ultimately to strengthen us (ever known a flower to grow without a little rain?), and to prepare us for the chance to influence (minister to) others.
In 2005 I suffered a spinal cord injury while undergoing neck surgery. I woke to find that nothing on my left side worked at all. I was paralyzed. After a month of hospitalization and in-house rehab, and another couple of months of out-patient rehab I was able to walk again and function pretty well, though with pain and lingering nerve damage. I would never wish to experience such an event, but my how it has opened the door to minister in ways I might never have been able to do otherwise. Therefore, I can say that I don't regret what happened because I know that ultimately it was part of God's plan for my life.
What have you experienced that you could use to minister to someone else? You may not know right now, but try to be sensitive to the needs of others and God will let you know!
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