94 | Hope for Hurting Hearts: The Compassion of Christ in Luke’s Gospel (Bible Study and Devotional)

Find the full episode here >>> PaulaBehrens.com/blog

Ever felt like your faith is stuck on autopilot? You love Jesus and sincerely want to grow closer, but somehow the days blur by in a whirlwind of responsibilities, distractions, and sheer exhaustion. You're not alone in wondering if you're truly growing or just coasting through your spiritual journey.

The Gospel of Luke offers a refreshing perspective for those of us caught in this tension. It portrays Jesus as the Savior who sees, values, and meets us exactly where we are—whether that's folding laundry, working long hours, or juggling family responsibilities. Luke's narrative centers on voices that society often overlooks: Mary, a young girl from an insignificant town; shepherds on the social margins; women at the tomb when no one believed them. Their stories reveal a profound truth: God chooses ordinary people for extraordinary purposes.

What makes Luke's Gospel particularly meaningful for busy women today is its emphasis on Jesus' prayer life. Prayer wasn't a formal obligation Jesus checked off his to-do list—it was his lifeline to the Father. This invites us to reimagine our own connection with God. Prayer doesn't require an Instagram-worthy quiet time setup; it can flow naturally during carpool lines, over kitchen sinks, or in sleepless nights. It's about presence, not perfection. And when life feels overwhelming, Luke reminds us that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells within us, providing strength when ours runs out.

Whether you're feeling spiritually dry, emotionally exhausted, or simply longing for more authentic connection with God, this episode unpacks how Luke's portrait of Jesus speaks directly to your reality. Discover how his parables stretch our understanding of grace, how his journey to the cross teaches us about surrender, and how his resurrection promises his continuing presence in our everyday lives. Ready to move beyond spiritual autopilot? Join us as we explore how the compassionate Savior in Luke's Gospel meets you right where you are today.

Send us a text

><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>

Christian Coaching > PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

Become an Insider > bit.ly/insiderfamily

Join the Community >>> BiblicalBoundariesForWomen.com

Essential Oil Favorites > WhyEssentialOils.com

Book-by-Book Printable Bible Study >>> PaulaBehrens.com/members

Get a copy > A New Heaven and New Earth: The Book of Revelation Revisited >>> https://amzn.to/3xRp0DI

Episode Transcript

Paula Behrens (00:01):
Let me ask you something.
Have you ever felt like yourfaith is stuck on autopilot?
You believe in Jesus, you lovehim, you want to grow closer,
but somehow the days slip by ina blur of responsibilities,
distractions and exhaustion.
Maybe you've wondered, am Ireally growing or am I just
coasting?
Or maybe you thought, I loveGod, but does he really see me

(00:25):
here in my everyday life,folding laundry, working long
hours, caring for my family,juggling expectations?
If you've ever longed to godeeper with your faith but felt
pulled in a hundred directions,you're not alone and you're
going to want to stay tuned aswe dive into the Gospel of Luke,
a portrait of Jesus as theSavior, who sees, who values and

(00:47):
who meets you right where youare.
But first funny story.
When I first began my seminarywork while serving two church
congregations full-time,everyone assumed I had my daily
devotional time perfectlyorganized.
But, truth be told, there weremornings I could barely find
five minutes to catch my breath,let alone dive into deep

(01:07):
reflection.
One day, as I rushed out thedoor with mismatched shoes, I
realized that even in my chaosthere was a lesson.
Embracing God's grace andself-forgiveness, I realized
that true success in mydevotional life requires
prioritizing my spiritualpractices.
Are you finding it challengingto maintain your spiritual

(01:30):
practices or yearning for a morepeaceful, God-aligned day?
I'm Paula and I've been theretoo.
Balancing spiritual habits witha busy life can be difficult.
I longed for a deeperconnection with God, but
struggled with consistency.
Then I found the perfectapproach.
If you seek simple ways todeepen your connection with God,
this podcast is for you.

(01:53):
Are you curious about whatactually happens in the Aroma of
Christ Coaching Hour?
Let me walk you through it.
First, we'll talk about yourcurrent routine what's working,
what's not, and where you feelstuck or dry.
Then we'll walk through yourspiritual goals, whether that's
deeper intimacy with God, morepeace or simply knowing how to
stay consistent.
Together we'll build arealistic devotional routine

(02:16):
that works for your real life,and I'll introduce you to ways
essential oils can help you feelmore grounded and connected
during your time with the Lord.
You'll leave with a customdevotional plan, simple next
steps and a fresh wind in yourspirit.
Everything we do is led by thespirit and grounded in grace,

(02:39):
not guilt.
So head on over now topaulabehrens.
com/ coaching and book yoursession.
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S .
com/coaching (no spaces).
It's time to bring beauty andbalance back into your quiet
time.
All right, let's get started.
Grab your Bible, dust off yourjournal and cozy up to your
favorite beverage and let's divein.

(03:02):
Today we're going to talk aboutthe way Luke sees Jesus as the
Savior who meets us right wherewe are and who sees us.
And we're going to walk throughthis New Testament book
together, not as a lecture butas a conversation, as if we were
sitting across the table fromeach other with, you know,
sipping on a cup of coffee, withan open Bible.
And along the way, I want toshow you how Luke's stories

(03:26):
connect with your story and howhis words can help you step into
a deeper, spirit-filled walkwith God.
Luke opens his Gospel withvoices that often went unheard
in the ancient world, like Maryand Elizabeth, Zechariah and
even an elderly prophetess namedAnna.

(03:46):
These were ordinary people.
These were the kind of peoplethat society would easily
overlook, yet Luke wants us tosee that God chose them to be a
part of this most extraordinarystory.
When the angel comes to Mary,she is a young girl, she comes

(04:07):
from a poor family in aninsignificant town.
And yet she becomes the bearerof the Messiah.
Her response, I am the Lord'sservant.
And then she breaks out into asong of praise that we call the
Magnificat, declaring that Godlifts up the humble and fills

(04:27):
the hungry with good things.
As women today, isn't that whatwe long to know?
That God sees us in the hiddenplaces.
That he values our yes, evenwhen the world doesn't seem to
notice.
Well, Luke's Gospel assures usthat God hears us.
Think about the shepherds too.

(04:48):
These weren't the influencersor power players of their time,
yet the angels' good news cameto them first.
They heard, I bring you goodnews of great joy that will be
for all the people, not just therich, not just the religious,

(05:13):
not just the men, but all thepeople.
For you and me, that means thegospel is not for some idealized
version of ourselves.
It's for us right here, righthere, in the middle of our real,
messy everyday lives.
And then Luke fills his pageswith parables that push his
truth even deeper.
These stories stretch ourunderstanding of grace and
remind us that God's love isextravagant, boundary-breaking

(05:36):
and inclusive.
For the woman listening today,who feels she has wandered too
far, who feels unworthy orunqualified, hear this.
You are the beloved daughterthe Father runs to embrace.
Now, if Luke shows us Jesus asthe Savior for all, he also
shows Jesus as a man of prayer.

(05:56):
More than any other Gospelwriter, Luke emphasizes how
central prayer was to Jesus'life.
Jesus prayed at his baptism.
He prayed before choosing hisdisciples.
He prayed on the mountaintop,he prayed in the garden, he
prayed when life was calm and heprayed when his soul was in
anguish.
Why?
Because prayer was not an itemon his to-do list, it was his

(06:19):
lifeline to the Father.
As women longing to grow closerto God, this is such a great
invitation.
We learn that prayer doesn'thave to be formal or complicated
.
It doesn't have to happen in anInstagram-worthy quiet time
setup.
Prayer can flow in the carpoolline, over the kitchen sink or
in the quiet of a sleeplessnight.

(06:41):
It's about presence.
It's about remembering that Godis for you, always, all the
time.
And Luke pairs prayer withpraise.
Have you noticed how many songsare in the first two chapters?
There's Mary's song of praise,Zachariah's song of blessing,
the angel's song of glory andSimeon's song of peace.

(07:02):
It's almost as if Luke issaying when you really see what
God has done, you can't help butsing.
Now, I don't know about you,but sometimes praise feels hard
when life is heavy.
When your heart is weary, whenprayers go unanswered, when
you're carrying more than youfeel you can bear, prayer feels

(07:32):
hard.
And yet Luke reminds us, joy isnot about circumstances.
It's about anchoring ourselvesin God's faithfulness.
And we can't forget the HolySpirit either.
From the very beginning ofLuke's Gospel, the Spirit is at
work, filling John the Baptist,overshadowing Mary, leading
Simeon, anointing Jesus.
For us, this means we are neverleft to walk alone.
The Spirit equips us, comfortsus and gives us strength when

(07:55):
ours runs out.
So if you feel like you've beenrunning on empty, remember the
same Spirit who raised Jesusfrom the dead dwells in you.
Isn't that encouraging?
You don't have to do it all inyour own strength.
About halfway through Luke'sGospel, the focus shifts.
Luke tells us, as a timeapproached for him to be taken

(08:18):
up to Heaven, Jesus resolutelyset out for Jerusalem.
From that point on, thenarrative is shaped by this
journey towards the cross andalong the way, Jesus teaches
about discipleship, about cost,about surrender.
He tells us whoever wants to bemy disciple must deny
themselves and take up theircross daily and follow me.

(08:40):
That's not exactly a soft, easyinvitation.
It's weighty, it's costly, andyet it's also freeing.
Because here's the truth whenwe cling to control, when we
cling to comfort, to status oreven to fear, we actually lose.
But when we surrender thosethings to Christ, we find a
freedom and a peace that thisworld just can't offer.

(09:05):
For many women, following Jesusmay not mean literal persecution
, but it might mean laying downthings like pride in a
relationship, or letting go ofbitterness, forgiving when it
feels impossible, or trustingGod with a dream you've been
holding just a little tootightly.
Jesus also warns us about greed, hypocrisy and

(09:26):
self-righteousness, but then heflips the script with parables
like the great banquet, showingus that God's invitation is wide
open to the poor, to thecrippled, the blind and the lame
.
Luke keeps pressing us to seethe Kingdom with new eyes.
So let me ask you this.
What's one area where God isinviting you to count the cost

(09:52):
of discipleship right now?
It won't look the same for eachof us, but Luke reminds us it
will be worth it.
And then we come to the climax,the Cross and the Resurrection.
Luke's account is filled withthe compassion of Jesus even in
suffering.
On the cross, he prays for hisenemies: Father, forgive them,

(10:12):
for they do not know what theyare doing.
He turns to the repentant thiefand promises him paradise.
Do you see it?
Even while nailed to the cross,Jesus is still seeking and
saving the lost.
And then the Resurrection.
The women arrive at the tombready to anoint his body and

(10:34):
they hear these words, Why doyou look for the living among
the dead?
He is not here.
He has risen.
I love that Luke records theroad to Emmaus story, as well.
Two discouraged disciples,possibly a husband and wife
team, are walking with heavyhearts and Jesus comes alongside

(10:54):
them.
They don't recognize him atfirst, but he listens, he
explains the scripture and thenhe reveals himself in the
breaking of the bread.
Isn't that beautiful.
Isn't that our story too?
We walk discouraged, confused,weighed down sometimes, and
Jesus comes alongside us.
He reminds us of truth, heopens our eyes and often he

(11:17):
shows himself in the ordinarymoments, the breaking of the
bread, the quiet prayer, thesmall act of faith.
For women longing to knowChrist more intimately, Luke's
resurrection stories are areminder that he is alive, he is
present and he is still walkingwith us today.

(11:38):
So here's where we land.
The Gospel of Luke is not justhistory, it's an invitation, an
invitation to know Jesus as theSavior for all, to walk with him
in prayer and praise, to followhim in costly discipleship and
to cling to him as the risenLord who never leaves our side.
Sister, God sees you, he valuesyou, he calls you.

(12:03):
Just like Mary, Elizabeth, Annaand the women at the tomb, your
story is part of his story.
So here's my challenge for youthis week.
Pick one of the stories in Luke, just one.
Maybe the Good Samaritan, maybeMary sitting at Jesus' feet, or
maybe the road to Emmaus, andsit with it, journal about it.

(12:26):
Ask what does this show meabout Jesus and what does this
mean for my life right now?
Because the Gospel of Luke isnot just words on a page.
It's the Spirit's invitation totransformation.
As a grandma who's rocked babiesthrough midnight tears and a
pastor who's walked with womenthrough their toughest seasons,

(12:47):
I've seen how the compassion ofChrist isn't just a story from
long ago.
It's a living promise that cantransform your daily walk with
God.
Yet I understand that we mustmeet him halfway as well, taking
moments to say I'm here, God,I'm listening for your voice.
Show me the path through thislife.

(13:09):
If today's message stirred adeep longing within you to draw
closer to Jesus amidst life'schaos, while at the same time
feeling emotional trauma pullingyou away from God's peace, I
want to personally invite you totake the next step by booking
an Aroma of Christ coaching hour.
During this one-on-one session,we'll meet over Zoom for a
meaningful time of spiritualguidance tailored specifically

(13:32):
to your current season.
Together, we'll craft apersonalized devotional rhythm
that fits your lifestyle andnurtures your walk with God.
You'll also receivestep-by-step support in using
essential oils as sensoryanchors in your quiet time,
helping you reconnect with peaceand clarity in your spirit.
This coaching hour includesbiblical encouragement, focused

(13:54):
prayer, a bonus Peace RESET andpractical strategies to deepen
your relationship with Christ.
If your heart is longing formore and you're ready to move
forward with intention and grace, go right now to paulabehrens.
com/ coaching to reserve yourspot.
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S .

(14:17):
com/ coaching (no spaces).
Let's walk this sacred journeytogether, surrounded by truth,
purpose and the sweet aroma ofHis presence.
Thank you for tuning in todayand remember, just like setting
biblical boundaries, it's okayto say no to things that don't
serve you well, like that thirdpiece of cake at the church

(14:38):
potluck.
If you were blessed by thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend and leave a reviewso that we can reach even more
women like you.
Check the show notes for allthe links.
Join us next week as wecontinue to discover how to live
on purpose in Christ.
Until then, keep leaning intoHim and walking in His wisdom.

(14:59):
See you next time.