Compassion brings us to prayer

Recently I have been following a family of 6 from Iowa who just lost their 22 month old son, Ben. The father has been writing daily updates, both leading up to the sad outcome, and the days following. The father's trust in the Lord throughout this whole process has been amazing. In the midst of extreme sadness, he continues to praise the Lord and ask for prayer requests for him and his family. You can hear his intense disappointment and broken heart, but there is no bitterness, only trusting in the Lord's will.

My heart hurts for this family I have never met. Becoming a new mom has opened a door of compassion that didn't exist before. Because I hurt for this family, I have been praying for them on a daily basis. I think people try to protect themselves from pain and suffering, yet it is the pain and suffering that brings us to our knees to pray. If I had closed my ears to hear the heart-wrenching story this family is facing, I wouldn't have known how to pray for them, or even thought to pray for them. Pain and suffering bring about compassion, all of which leads us to prayer.