It’s the gift everyone needs, but few are willing to pay the price to get it.
Empathy.
The problem is that empathy doesn’t come naturally for most of us. We want what comes easily. And empathy is rarely on that list.
We’ve read the verse a zillion times: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). But we don’t know where to start.
Enter the “3 R’s,” by author Shirley Wulf. To gain the gift of empathy, she writes, we must take these steps:
- Recognize the need.
- Relax rather than tensing up.
- Reframe our thinking.
You need to do a better job of empathy. So do I. The good news is we can get there, one step at a time.
Recovery Step: Start with recognition today. Recognize your need for empathy and the need to demonstrate empathy to the ones you love.
Author: Mark Denison
Mark and Beth Denison, married for 36 years, launched There’s Still Hope as a national movement to call men and women into lives of sexual integrity. Their ministry offers 90-day recovery plans for addicts and one-on-one and group coaching for addicts and their spouses. TSH also produces resources for pastors and churches to confront the porn epidemic that is destroying so many lives.
Dr. Denison was a senior pastor for over 30 years, NBA chaplain, and board chairman at Houston Baptist University three times. With a Master’s Degree in Addiction Recovery, Mark is a certified PSAP and active member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.
Mark has written four books on recovery: Porn in the Pew, 365 Days to Sexual Integrity, A 90-Day Recovery Guide, and 40 Days to Porn-Free Living. His latest book, Jesus on the 12 Steps, will be released later this year.
