"Life comes at you fast."  Nationwide is right.  Life DOES come at you fast.  Sometimes that's good, sometimes not so much.  In those times when what comes at us is pain, grief, suffering, we need others to wait and weep with us.  Peter put it this way according to the New Living Bible paraphrase:   "You should be like one big family, full of sympathy toward each other."  1 Peter 3:8a (LB)

Some of us are blessed to have close, biological families who are always there in our times of need.  Some of us are blessed to have close friends who wait and weep for with us.  Doubly blessed are those of us who have a spiritual family that may be made up of some biological family members and friends (or not) who are there to wait and weep with us in life's difficult times.   I say we're doubly blessed if we have a spiritual family in those times, because our spiritual family is eternal.  Individual members of our spiritual family may come and go as do our biological family members and friends, but when we have the common bond of Jesus, as we do in our spiritual family, we will enjoy a reunion with them in heaven, where there won't be any need for waiting and weeping, but we will get to rejoice in Jesus' salvation for each of us--forever!

Right now, chances are you are going through a difficult time in some area of your life.  That's not a pessimistic statement, it's a realistic one.  Do you have anyone you can turn to who will listen, or who will give you a "swift kick" if that's what you need to get you back on track?  During our 40 Days of Community, the L.I.F.E. groups that are meeting are already helping with some of those challenges.  I'm already starting to hear stories of how some of you have been encouraged by others in your groups, and have been supported in prayer.  Life IS better together!  Yes, it's more challenging sometimes, because none of us has all the spots on our dominoes, so we can sometimes be the source of pain for each other.  Even in those times those who love Jesus and keep Him first find ways to work through those challenges and to be there when we're really needed.

It's interesting that the Living Bible tells us we are to be full of sympathy toward each other.  As I mentioned in worship on Sunday, there's a big difference between empathy and sympathy.  Empathy is to suffer AS another suffers, while sympathy is to suffer WITH another person who is suffering.  We can only empathize with people when we've been through what they're going through.  Even so, no one else experiences pain (or anything else) exactly the same as another, so sympathy was probably the best word.  Take time today to notice those who may be suffering, but aren't saying anything about it.  Offer your sympathy to them, which may mean nothing more than listening--but never underestimate the power of listening when someone else is in pain!  One of the best things about caring for someone else who's carrying a heavy burden, is it nearly always makes our own burdens seem lighter, too!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, Thank You so much for always caring for our needs.  Thank You, too, for sending others to care for us when we are hurting. Fill each of us with Your Holy Spirit today that we may offer Your love and compassion to those around us who are hurting.  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.