When we look at pain, confusion, and raw emotions, it is hard to make sense out of our experience in the moment. For example, in a season of suffering, we struggle with issues that we know are wrong; and at the same time, find ourselves unable to embrace the comfort that should accompany the truths we know. So, in a very real sense, our suffering can be compounded by the guilt that comes from realizing that we are not suffering well. Suffering has a unique way of revealing our inabilities and inadequacies. As we seek to find a starting point in ministering to someone whose heart is unraveling, Romans 12:15 points us to ministering wisely as we weep with those who weep. Despair and pain often bring heavy hearts and foggy minds; which make it terribly difficult to process information in a logical way. However, while I may not be able to process your words, I can be moved by the fact that you care for me to the degree that you are touched by my pain. When we allow ourselves to be affected by the suffering of others, chances are, we will not choose to minister abstract truths in a trite and impersonal way. When we’ve walked with someone, and opened our hearts up to their pain; when it comes time to speak, we are more likely to minister truth more accurately, in a gentle, patient, and kind way. In other words, we will be ready to speak the truth in love.