COMPASSION

Connecting with God’s heart towards His people.

Watch how Kim connects with God through Compassion.

What is Compassion?

Connecting with God through Compassion is connecting with God’s heart towards His people. When you connect with God through Compassion, at times, you may feel lost and isolated in a world that seems cold, blind, and careless. It is important to understand that our drive towards compassion is a powerful gift that God has given us to connect with Him and pioneer Heavenly solutions for the problems we see.

This understanding leads to greater faith as we gain a deeper understanding of how much God cares for people and desires to help them. As you connect with God through Compassion, ordinary moments become supernatural, coincidences become opportunities, impossibilities disappear, and your eyes are opened to the will of God each day.

Compassion is so much more than giving a warm meal or serving the less fortunate. Those are wonderful acts, but compassion also suffers with those who suffer and weeps with those who weep. Compassion means that their pain becomes our pain, and their disappointment becomes our disappointment.

Compassion doesn't observe from a distance, it embraces the realities of the pain, while still representing the goodness of God. It's no wonder the Bible instructs us to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

Compassion changes the world. It can be easy to lose sight of how compassionate the Lord is. The book of James tells us that God is “full” of compassion. In Psalms, He is described as kind, gracious and compassionate towards all His creation.

Yes, God loves mercy and justice, but He also is compassion personified. Compassion can often be described as sympathy or kindness, but the Latin root word for compassion is “compati,” which literally means “suffer with.” Meditate on that for a moment.

Compassion by definition is a verb—an action word. It’s the heart of God towards people that lead us into prayer and to world-changing action. It was compassion that God demonstrated in sending Jesus to us. “For God so loved the world that He gave...” (John 3:16).

Jesus didn’t just come to be kind and sympathetic. He came to “suffer with” us and suffer for us. It was compassion that led Jesus to heal the sick, cast out demons, and carry His cross up a hill to His execution. Before feeding thousands of men and women with a small boy’s lunch, and before opening the eyes of two blind men, the Bible records that Jesus “was moved with compassion” (Matthew 9:27; 14:14)

What does this show us practically? Very simply—Godly compassion unlocks the miraculous. When we connect with God through compassion, we align our hearts with Heaven and bring its limitless possibilities to a lost and dying world.

Your willingness to suffer with others, carry their burdens, and serve them is world-changing. As you move in compassion, you will connect with God deeply and receive His wisdom and grace to pioneer prophetic solutions to problems. And as people receive the compassion that God has called you to show, they encounter The Lord of compassion, who cares so deeply for them that He’s willing to suffer with them.

“But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” Psalm 86:15

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Practical ways to connect with God through Compassion:

  • Pay attention to the burdens God places on your heart for people or different situations. Take those into prayer!

  • Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in responding to those burdens.

  • Spend time understanding the complexities and obstacles of those burdens; ask the Lord for His heart.

  • Serve in areas God has given you compassion for. Then ask the Lord for more of His heart while serving!

  • Ask God every day for opportunities to demonstrate His compassion.

  • In moments when you are moved with compassion, ask the Holy Spirit what to do.

  • Journal these experiences as teaching moments and reminders in your faith journey with the Lord.

Grow in How You Connect with God.

Encouragement

Your value is not in what you do, but in who you are. The Holy Spirit gives you the grace and strength to be the hands and feet of Jesus, but remember that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. It is not your responsibility to take on the weight of the world, but to love people well so they see Jesus through you. When your identity becomes what you do, ask God to tell you who you are and listen to His response.

When you connect with God through compassion, take to heart that you are first a son or a daughter. Take time to receive from from the Holy Spirit before you pour out onto people. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

The Father was well pleased with Jesus before He ever started His public ministry. The same is true for you! He is pleased with you not by your works, but because of whose you are. 

Suggested Activities 

  • Position yourself where there are opportunities for you to see people and their needs.

  • Consider helping your church minister to those who are sick, volunteer in a food bank, or to go on outreaches in your city. Serve your church on Sundays!

  • Ask God to show you how He was “moved with compassion” and be filled with the same power.

  • Study how the Bible calls us to care for others.

  • Set aside moments during your time with the Lord to reflect on the times you have cared for someone in need. Ask God to show you the worship in your service.

  • Ask the Holy Spirit to highlight to you people who need encouragement. Ask Him to speak to you!

  • Consider going on outreaches in your city and mission trips abroad. 

Scripture

Esther 2:11, Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 16:49, Matthew 6:1-34, Matthew 18:12- 14, Matthew 25:31-40, Mark 1:-35-39, Luke 10:24-37, John 3:14, 1 Corinthians 12, Colossians 3, 1 Peter 3:8, James 1:27, Hebrews 6:10, 1 John 3:17 

Books

  • Love Does by Bob Goff

  • Servolution: Starting a Church Revolution Through Serving by Dino Rizzo

  • In the Heart of the World by Mother Theresa

  • Compelled by Love by Heidi Baker 

Mix It Up

Learning how we connect with God shows us how we can enter into His presence daily. While you may best connect with God through one or a few ways, remember that you can connect with God in all the ways! Use this guide below to help you grow in connecting with God through Adoration by pairing it with your favorite way.

  • While you are connecting with God through fasting, spend intentional time adoring God through worship. He rewards those who seek Him! While you are withholding from worldly satisfaction, lavishly supply God with worship and adoration. Posture your heart to receive from the Lord as you engage in your fast. God wants to give you an abundance as you deny your flesh!

    Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

  • When you are reading the Bible, take time to sing and place melodies behind what you are reading. It doesn’t have to be for anyone because it is between you and the Lord. Turn on instrumental music and allow Holy Spirit to fill the space. Let Him give you the words to say and the melodies to release. He is the author of your faith, so let Him author your thoughts and meditate on who He is!

  • Sing songs about the wonders of creation to our Creator. When having your daily encounters outside, take time to meditate on the awe of God’s creation. Your awe will minister to His heart! Listen to the sound of the wind blowing through the trees, the sounds of the creatures around you, the sounds of rushing water and ask yourself, “How are they singing to the Lord?” Join in with their chorus and worship Him!

  • Take time throughout your day to minister to God’s heart through your movement. In the midst of moving from place to place, keep your heart bent towards Him. Sing in the Spirit, sing a spontaneous song, or express to Him how you love Him. Ponder on the attributes of God that you love when you are moving. 

  • As you connect with God through adoration, create a new song, a new painting, or a new writing for Him. Write a letter expressing your thankfulness and adoration to God. Turn on instrumental worship music and create your art based on the thoughts that flood your mind. In the midst of those melodies, let the Holy Spirit guide your hand. He is the Ultimate Creator, so let Him author creation through you!

  • Sing in the Holy Spirit. When you are singing in the Spirit, ask God what questions you should ask Him. In your daily encounters, ask God, “Father, what can I do to please you today?” When you hear Him, respond and ask Him to teach you. Leave space for the Lord to speak back to you in worship. He desires to speak to you as you engage in Adoration!

  • When you are alone with God, you can come to Him in full vulnerability and authenticity. In solitude, worship God from a completely exposed state. Then, sing to Him! It doesn’t matter what you sound like because it is just between you and the Lord. Your authentic worship moves His heart. Take time to let melodies and songs usher you into deeper intimacy with God. Write down what He says to you in those moments. That is His love song to you!

  • As you connect with God through learning, take extended time to connect with God through Adoration. Study the Levites. Worship will bring new perspective on the revelation God is showing you through His Word! Engage your mind as you sing to the Lord. What scriptures come to mind as you sing certain lyrics? What biblical stories are the songwriters pointing you back to? Remember, we worship in spirit and truth. It is not real worship to God if it isn’t done with His truth!

  • Connect with God through Adoration by worshiping God as the Perfect Judge. He is the author of heavenly justice. Ask God to reveal a new facet of His righteous character to you. Before interceding, spend time worshiping God for who He is. He is holy and righteous. Sing this to Him! Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and praise. This is how your requests are made known.

  • Adoration is a lifestyle. When you are serving the least of these, keep worship unto God in your heart. Before you can minister to others, you need to first receive from Him. We love because he first loved us! What is His love song to you? Ask Him. Take time to receive love from the Father, so you can pour that love back out to God by serving others. 

  • Take time to look back on all that God has done in your life and thank Him for it. This is an act of worship! Let these memories put meaning behind the words you sing. When you sing of His worthiness, think back on how He has shown Himself worthy. When you sing of His goodness, think back on how He has been good to you. When you sing about freedom, think back on how He has set you and others around you free! Let cadence and melodies usher you into remembrance. As you worship, your thoughts will testify to the faithfulness of God! 

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