I know my heart still works when I hurt for someone else’s pain. It’s not fun to hurt, whether it is my hurt, or whether it is referred pain that we feel on behalf of someone else. But it IS a good thing when we are reminded that our heart still works and is soft and pliable instead of hard and brittle.

I’ve had opportunities this week to hurt on behalf of others – friends who are contemplating beginning life apart rather than together after many years married, a friend who finds herself in a tough situation after being rejected by her grown daughter, my dad who sat at the kitchen island this evening with a bruised and swollen face and eyes that look like he hurts all over, and he does.

I am grateful tonight for opportunities to hurt for someone else, reminders from the Holy Spirit to mention specific names in interceding prayer.

I am grateful for my sister who stayed with Dad all day long on Tuesday and made sure he was okay.

I am grateful for an evening with a friend and conversation around the table to let him grieve a broken relationship.

I am grateful for text messages from a mom who is heartbroken and trusted me with her heartache.

I am grateful for a hurting heart for others on this Friday evening as we drive south.

And I am grateful for anticipation of seeing my CBA friends tomorrow who have hurt with me and have interceded on my behalf. It will be a soft heart reunion tomorrow.