Fierce Compassion

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. —2 Corinthians 1:4, NLT

It is in knowing the suffering, in all its darkest places and with the most harrowing faces, that we are brought to a place of fierce compassion for others and, perhaps one day, for ourselves.” This quote is from a book given to me by my dear friend, Joy, to help me deal with the enormous amount of loss I have had to face in the last few months.

Fierce compassion can be defined as determinedly desiring to alleviate the distress others are enduring. This season of personal distress has opened my eyes to several truths about Jesus. Before He came to live as a man, before He was despised and rejected, Jesus had not experienced living the full human condition. There was war in heaven.

His created and deeply loved Lucifer lied about Jesus, rejected Him, and recruited supporters (the very first narcissist). God sorrowed for His lost angel and the third of the host that Lucifer, now Satan, took with him into darkness.

Then our world was taken captive through a series of mistakes made by Adam and Eve. We were doomed! Thankfully, there was a rescue plan from the foundation of the world. When Jesus came to carry out the rescue, Satan made sure that the same lies, rejection, and recruited minions came against Jesus to try to stop His mission.

But God (two of my favorite words) made sure that every attempt to derail the rescue, as painful as it was, would be turned into good for humanity in His hand.

When the Bible says, “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15, NLT), that tells me God used the earthly suffering Jesus endured in His life to allow Him to feel what we feel.

He knows suffering in the darkest places, and His compassion for us is fierce! I hope that encourages your heart today in whatever trials you may be facing.

You have His fierce compassion. In every trial, He is preparing you and me for fierce compassion—women who determinedly desire to alleviate the distress others face.

May we find strength and joy in receiving and sharing fierce compassion from the Lion of Judah.

Ann Trout