Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Gift of Empathy...

Spirit of Empathy.... I fought this one for a long time. I am super sensitive to things and people around me. I sense feelings and emotions almost instantaneously when someone enters the room. Been this way my whole life, and I don't like it much. Well... I used to not like it. Lately I've realized that it is a gift that God gave me to be used for His will, not something meant to hurt me. I will try to explain to you what it is like... For instance last night there was a show on TV, one of those FBI detective things where they find the missing person, anyways, the victim was being tortured. They showed enough to make my mind go nuts. I felt sick inside, my heart started aching, and I had a hard time breathing. I had to physically leave the room it got so bad. Yes I know that it was fake, but here's where my mind goes... By showing that on TV, the enemy is putting an idea out there for some sick, twisted, messed up person who is consumed by the devil to take and store for future reference. Where is the mind of the writer of that show? A Godly man or woman wouldn't want to write those things. Do you see where I am going with this?All those shows and movies that depict that kind of stuff is nothing but a tool of the enemy. You aren't of sound nature with God if you enjoy watching things like that. I get so overwhelmed at how PRESENT the devil is in our daily lives at times like this and yes I feel it down into my bones. Now I understand that movies are fake, and books aren't always real. I'm not an idiot, but they are still being used every day and so many people don't even realize it. I am not saying don't read fictional books or watch TV and movies, what I am telling you is this...Be careful what you put into your mind and Guard your heart tightly!




The benefit of being empathetic is that I can relate to and understand others and their pain, suffering, joy, and happiness way beyond what most people can. I can be an instrument of peace if I need to, or a sense of encouragement. Whatever God has in mind for me at the time with that particular person. What I don't have to do is let it get me down. I have had to learn how to block out things that get to me in a harmful way. The enemy has loved using this gift against me for a long time. Used it to get me depressed, upset, angry, and worried. He used it to get into my head and make me think things that just werent true. It is a blessing to feel pain if I need to feel it to grow. It is not a blessing to feel suffering that makes me want to crawl into a hole and hide. This is a gift that I am still very much in the learning process with. I am not really sure why God needs me to be able to feel it in my heart and soul when someone suffers. Perhaps it is so I can relate to Jesus more closely. He had to have been empathic. I just can't imagine the God of the universe not being able to feel what we feel. After all that is why He came to earth to save us. He had to experience our life, and die for us anyways because He loved and cared about the destination of our souls.


One thing I can tell you though is that I see people very differently than most. Why?... because I look deep down inside. There are amazing things inside people if you are willing to move the junk out of the way.  Its kind of like those horder shows on TV. Inside that house is a huge mess full of all kinds of things. Sometimes when they get down underneath all the stuff there is a beautiful home left in its place, but at times they dig down and uncover a rotten, disease filled shell of a house that can't be recovered without completely tearing it down and starting over. That is what happens to our souls as well. Problem is when you encounter people that are so consumed with evil that they outwardly show it, then you have a harder task in front of you. That is when it suddenly becomes dangerous because their insides are rotten and destroyed. You have to really rebuild someone in that state.  It takes a lot to dig down and find the good in those people. Sometimes its there, and sometimes its not. The enemy can win people over. There are truly lost people in this world. They become so consumed by the devil that they act out his darkest most horrible plans of revenge on us. The things that hurt my heart the most like torture, abuse, slavery, starvation, pain, suffering... those things are not of God, and people like that will use it to their advantage. What frightens me most is that the end of the ages is going to be filled with people who enjoy doing those things to Christians. What do you think the anti-Christ is going to be like? Take the most evil, horrible, sickened person you can think of, multiply it by ten thousand, and wrap it up in a pretty little package. And I promise you, that doesn't even come close to what the enemy is like.   


I have the save the world mentality. I truly love everyone. I want to save them all. People think I'm crazy, but I can take just about anyone and turn them around if they are willing. Now those that arent... well... No one but God can do anything about them anyways. I just have to remember to stay firm in my convictions, cover myself in prayer, and go where God leads me. I know that no matter how hard it might get, or how desperate someone might seem, that God would never take me to a place He couldn't get me out of. That is where I just have to learn to trust His will. If it takes me to dangerous, not so fun places, filled with the darkness of the enemy, then so be it. As long as I have the Mighiest Lord and Savior of all by my side, I have no fear.


Until next time, guard your heart. Feed your soul with good things from the Word. Love others as God loves you,
Jessica

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