During the four weeks of June, I’m using a weekly focus based on character qualities and actions that begin with the four letters in the word June:

J — Joyful (a very misunderstood quality and a command from God) [6/1–6/8]

U — Understanding (a quality that blends empathy with compassion and love) [6/9–6/15]

N — Nice (a quality that requires sincerity) [6/16–6/22]

E — Excellent (a quality that doesn’t tell us to be the best but to give our best) [6/23–6/30]

I spoke with family; I spoke with friends from church; I spoke with co-workers. They all cared, and they all loved me, prayed for me, or encouraged me in some way—but it never really seemed to help. Then one evening, I got a call from a friend who invited me to come over to her home and talk. I took her up on it—she was about ten years older than I was, and I knew she would be a good listener.

When I arrived at her home, she began with these words: “I understand.” Well, that sounded all well and good—but others had told me the same thing; however, they all had either boyfriends, husbands, or husbands and children, and it seemed to me that although they could offer compassion and love, they could not truly relate to my hurt. This friend was single and had never married yet, and I figured that was what she meant by saying that she “understood,” so I was willing to politely listen to her story.

This precious friend proceded to open her heart and life to me and share that she, too, had gone through the dream-changing event of a broken engagement—not that many years before. Suddenly, I felt a comforting sense of relief: the words “I understand” took on their true meaning and soothed my sad and weary heart as no other words could have.

She had walked my path. She had felt my pain. She had known my grief.

She understood.

She was the first one in that moment who could truly blend empathy with compassion and love.

My gem of a friend not only undertood; she took that first-hand knowledge and allowed God to use it to comfort me in the way she had been comforted at the time of her own broken engagement.

What sorrow has God given you comfort through that you could use to give comfort to someone else walking through that same sorrow, loss, or situation? To whom could you reach out and utter some of the most comforting words ever spoken: I understand?

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2 Corinthians 1:3–4, NLT)

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