From a 17 yr. old empath

Below is from a 17 year old empath that we had the incredible opportunity to work with. She is quite the young woman and is learning how to use her gifts. Enjoy. She said I could edit whatever I wanted, but what she shares is important, all of it.

 

Learning I was an Empath changed my life. When you’ve wandered in the dark for so long, not knowing what on earth was wrong with you, it’s amazing when you have a breakthrough. All my life, I have had the sense that I was different from others. It was something that I could never fully explain, and felt different from the normal stage everyone goes through. Even as a child, I was already quite empathetic and just didn’t realize it.  As I got older, I would continue to focus on loving and caring for my family and others, rather than go out and play outside like most kids.

 

When I started school, it was difficult and confusing at times. I would wake up some days feeling awful, not knowing I had been absorbing other’s energies. Due to my caring nature I was often taken advantage of or not treated with respect. I didn’t understand at the time that it’s good to have healthy boundaries and be able to say no. Sometimes I did understand that, but was too afraid of how people would react to me if I tried to do that.

 

One of the problems of being an Empath is that because we are naturally very caring and loving, we automatically assume everyone else is as well. However, I would find out during school that this is not often the case. Especially when I was younger, I could never understand why most people wouldn’t want to help those who were considered the outcasts. In my mind, I felt that you should always try to keep an eye out for a service opportunity. Often during lunchtime, I would volunteer to help wash the lunch tables for the lunch ladies. I remember how much they appreciated my efforts and rewarded me with candy!

 

As I grew older, I was still trying to be very kind and loving, which would get me into trouble sometimes. I would try to be friends with people so I could “fix” them, not realizing how unhealthy that was. I had simply wanted to be of service to others and support them. I have more experience now, but I admit that it still took my awhile to accept the idea that not everyone needs fixing, and not everyone is kind and loving.

 

When I look back on my life, I can see where the Lord has tried to protect me, and I am always grateful for that. All throughout my school years He made sure to have a nice female teacher in every grade, there to guide me and help me when I felt hurt by my peers. I would have safe spaces where I could go to during lunch so that I could calm down and not have to deal with toxic people. I never realized I was getting so overwhelmed because I was taking in energy that wasn’t mine. I now know to shield and give toxic energies to the Lord.

 

While being an Empath can be hard at times, it definitely has its perks too. I am naturally observant, picking up on energetic clues and information that most don’t see. When I meet new people, I can have a general idea of what type of person they are, and if they might be toxic to me. You can naturally understand people better because it’s easier to see through a facade. I also have the ability to “feel” the energy of words. If someone is texting me, I can usually tell if they’re sincere or trying to deceive me. If someone has written a post or article, I can tell what kind of mood the author was in, and what they might be trying to saying in between the lines. When you take this ability and apply it to the scriptures, the results are amazing!

 

I have had many times where I was able to use my gifts for the benefit of others. One time I was at school, and a girl I barely knew was upset and crying. (By this time I was a bit older and knew I had to be cautious when it came to helping people. In fact, I now know to ask the Lord before you go off doing stuff like that) Prompted to talk to her, I asked what was wrong. She said nothing was, she was fine. I knew that wasn’t true. Because I am empathetic, I sensed that what she needed right now was simply someone to hug her and let her cry her tears. And so, I did. She accepted my hug and seemed very grateful to me. It was wonderful to have the Lord put her in my path.

 

I used to think that it was rare to find sensitive people my age. But that’s not true at all! I have been friends with many people who are sensitive, but I didn’t realize it at the time. I think there has been an increase in these types of people so that they can soften the hearts of the people through their love and turn them to God. That way we can bring about the events of the last days. Because I know that I’m an Empath, I am more able to empathize with those sensitive people out there who don’t know who they are. It can be tough when you’re an Empath, but even more so when you don’t know about your sensitivities and how to protect them. I believe that Empaths can be of great value to our communities and families because of our natural healing abilities. Everyone has many different gifts, and I feel it’s important that we nurture them and use them to bring about the Lord’s work.