CARELIFE Identifying
LIFE & Your Personal Relationship Skills
Part 3 of 5
Identifying Needs
While listening to people, as you learned in our earlier study, is an important first step in helping them, it must not stop there. You need to strive also to identify, both with them, and with their needs.
To IDENTIFY: in this case means to understand, and share in someone’s feelings.
What do you think identifying with someone’s feelings means, in practical ways?
Jesus is an example to us relating to this:
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4: 14, 15
Do you think it is important to put forth efforts to identify with the people you desire to help? Why, or why not?
If you want to help others you will need to be sensitive toward their thoughts, and feelings, and try to relate to what they are saying (without necessarily agreeing, or disagreeing, with all that is being presented).
The first step is to listen to what is being said, and then to try to communicate through words, and actions, “I understand.”
Think of some real-life examples in which identifying with someone could be helpful.
Discuss these thoughts with someone you know well, and trust.
Consider if a friend you have is not feeling well
A Co-worker recently experienced a death in their family
Someone you met tells you that they were diagnosed with a serious illness
A relative had their home damaged from bad weather conditions
An elderly friend is depressed
Someone you know has separated from their spouse
A friend has lost their job, or has financial problems
There are many problems and crises in our world, and people need to listen, as well as talk, if they would like to be of some help to those in need. There are many who just need a friend to talk with. Someone they can trust, and maybe even give them a word of encouragement, hope and/or guidance. along the way to a workable solution.
Sometimes what’s very much appreciated is only to have someone spend a little time with them to listen, and not to say too much, except to express sincere interest, and concern, and to offer a few words of comfort. If you are already a Christian you can pray with those in need, and offer hope in God for the days ahead. There are more things that could be of assistance, but at this time we are focusing on Identifying with those who are struggling with possibly difficult problems in life, and how to be someone near in a time of trial or sorrow.
We’ve all been through trials in this life. We may honestly be able to say: “I can understand”, even if we don’t have a full personal knowledge of the specific problems in another person’s life. We probably know what physical and emotional pain feels like. Disappointments and grief have followed many of us in this world. It’s important, if we wish to bring some hope to those in need, to be able, if only in a small way, to sincerely empathize, with what we know from our own experiences in life, and if possible, to become a truly, caring, friend.
This article was written by Chris Teske for VisdaPoint.com
The materials you have been studying up to this point can assist in the process that leads to good, or improved, communications; and yet, there is still more that can be understood.
In part 4 of this 5 part series we will be discussing how gathering facts and information can often be a help in discovering possible solutions to perplexing problems. Use the following link to CARELife Fact- Finding to learn more from this study series.
