Praying for Compassion

Today I said that God is calling us to a deep awareness of the suffering of others. Before we can align ourselves with their suffering and enter into a ministry of compassion with them, we must first become convinced that we have received compassion ourselves. God offers that compassion every moment of every day. Praying for that compassion is not about asking God to be gracious, God already is. Praying for compassion is about opening our hearts and receiving the assurance of God's grace and compassion for you.

My sermon points were based upon 1 Timothy 1:12-17 and fleshed out this way:

Appreciate what God has done. 1 Timothy 1:12
Acknowledge what you have done. 1 Timothy 1:13
Accept God’s forgiveness. 1 Timothy 1:14-16
Assist in the transformation God is working in your heart. 1 Timothy 1:16-17

My Assignment to you was to spend this week just praying for YOU. That may sound self-serving, but I don't think you can truly enter into the hurts around you, as Jesus did, until you come to a heartfelt understanding that Jesus has entered into the hurts in your life.

Here's a prayer that might assist you in your week:

God of compassion there has never been a time when you haven't loved all of your creation. I'm a party to that love and so I thank you for all you've done in my life. The list of grace-filled moments is long but I want to spend some time now to share with you just where I've seen you working in my life... (insert your grace moments here.) Lord of all life I confess to you that I have not lived like you would have me life. My life has been filled with times that I would rather hide from you, yet I know that in confessing these moments you and I can begin to move beyond them. So I'll risk confession at this time... (insert here your moments of sinfulness.)
God, it is with gratitude that I accept your loving grace and know that I stand forgiven of my wrong doings. I know that I am fully your child. And now I want to live according your ways and the example of your son, Jesus Christ. So I offer myself in prayer that you will begin the transformation that needs to happen in me to become a reflection of your love in the world.
I pray all of this in the name of Christ. AMEN.