Hurting People

There are so many hurting people in this world. And so many that are in our lives on a regular basis. Do we even know that they are hurting? Are we alert to the signs and symptoms of the inner pain that others feel? Struggles that we may not be able to relate to, but are devastating for the other person. How do we reach out to them to offer a word of encouragement, a listening ear to the pain that they struggle with?
Too many people are afraid to open up to others about the struggles they face, the doubt they deal with, the hurt that has made their life difficult. They see others’ smiling faces and think they are alone in their hurt and pain, that others live lives of happiness and few difficulties. Yet most if not all people struggle in some area. If they aren’t currently facing difficulty, they will be soon or recently have. Rather than living in isolation in our hurt and struggles, we need to be compassionate to reach out to those around us who are hurting. Even if their hurt is not something we can relate to, we can be a sympathetic ear.