I knew I had to write this article out of my personal experience of chronic illness and severe physical disability. In the midst of it all, I am developing the art of compassion. People often come to me to ask for prayer, or for a listening ear. I’m very much still learning how to do this. Jesus is my teacher.

Jesus mastered the art of compassion 

Through my ‘quiet times’ Jesus is teaching me that His main reason for being on earth was to save us from sin and point us to Him (1 John 1:5-10). The hurts came second. For example, in dealing with the paralysed man, Jesus deals with sin first, disability second (Mark 2:1-12). However, dealing with the hurts was often the way Jesus used of pointing people towards Himself. Jesus met people where they were, often with care and tenderness, crossing boundaries others did not dare to. He met those despised by others: the outcast, the lonely, the poor, sick and unlovely. He had time for people when others did not, even when He was tired, grieving, or in need Himself. 

There is a balance to be had. However, we give in unexpected ways when we make time to seek God’s face by setting aside time to pray and asking Him to bring people our way who are in need.

Reading these things and praying sometimes seems to me like the ‘easy bit’. The tough bit is learning at the coalface, loving and giving when we are in need ourselves. I have often wondered how this works, but it works when we are in need and therefore vulnerable ourselves. We then appear more open to others, even those we are not naturally drawn to. If we know we are loved by Jesus and have been comforted by Him in our pain, we have love and comfort to give to others, as is illustrated by these verses:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

People have often come to me with things I have no experience of, and I have felt very inadequate. However, it is more about having time to listen, really listen, by learning to feel other people's pain and walk with them, instead of feeling sorry for them. This is something cultivated over time by being consistent, praying when we say we will, and continuing to pray for people long after they've come with the need. 

I am definitely still learning, and still finding ways to meet with people and to be there for them. I have even prayed with people on social media like Facebook and Twitter, and have a 'prayer-board' with suggestions of people to pray for, such as other friends who are disabled and confined to the house. It is about starting from where you are, with your family and friends, and working outwards, but also learning from the best: Jesus Himself!