Recently I blogged about Depression and the Power of Empathy. I thought it would be helpful to provide something of a “Part 2” by exploring together the distinct differences between secular empathy and biblical empathy.
Empathy Is Sourced in the Trinity
Empathy is not a Trojan Horse trying to sneak secular concepts into biblical counseling.
Empathy is all over the Bible. Just a few biblical examples:
We are to weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). When one part of the body of Christ suffers, we all suffer with them—we are to suffer with those who suffer (1 Corinthians 12:26). We are called to comfort one another with the comfort we have received from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). God the Father empathizes with us. He is the Father of compassion/mercies and the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). God the Son empathizes with us. He is our sympathetic High Priest who knows and sympathizes with our infirmities (Hebrews 4:14-16). God the Spirit empathizes with us. He is our Comforter (John 14-16). He groans with us as we experience the agonies of life in this fallen world (Romans 8:26-27).
To continue...read the full-length post originally published on this site.
