Overwhelmed by the Hurt of the World
I don't know about you, but lately I have been so completely overwhelmed by all of the hurt and brokenness in this world. Maybe this is in part because of mass shootings, famines, or the like. However, I do think part of it has to do with my job. I work with broken person after broken all day long, and frankly, it can really wear a person down. I have truly learned just how much need there is right in my area, not to mention the rest of the world.
You see, I suffer from this thing called Big Heart. I'm the person that will go to an animal shelter, cry about all of the dogs with no one to love them, and end up picking out the oldest, most pitiful dog in the whole building. While this sounds like a good thing, it can be detrimental at times. I'll find myself completely broken down by all of the sadness around me.
What do you do about this? Where do you even begin? I once heard someone say that doing good felt like they were just trying to empty the ocean with an eye dropper. I don't know about you, but I can totally relate to that. The hurt of this world could fill an ocean, and I'm standing on the shore with a bucket and an eye dropper, filling the dropper and putting it in the bucket. I can do nothing but help people for the rest of my life, and there will still be sweet babies dying of starvation and AIDS in Africa.
But I guess that isn't the point. The point isn't for me to solve all of the problems in the world. Clearly, that's impossible. The point is that I live my life and, "Let all that you do be done in love (1 Cor. 16:14)." The point is that I make my mission to, "Go and make disciples of all the nations (Matt. 28:19." Basically, the point is that I follow the calling Jesus has placed on my life, no matter what. It's not necessarily about what I am doing, but more so about why I am doing it. And for the glory of Christ, I can face the hurt of the world with an attitude of compassion all day long.
I have had to learn that ultimately, it isn't about my results. It's about my faithfulness. If I watch the results, I will never be satisfied. But if I remember that I am following Christ wholeheartedly, there I will find contentment.
So, I'll continue to stand on the ocean, bucket in hand, just filling up my eye dropper, one drop at a time.
You see, I suffer from this thing called Big Heart. I'm the person that will go to an animal shelter, cry about all of the dogs with no one to love them, and end up picking out the oldest, most pitiful dog in the whole building. While this sounds like a good thing, it can be detrimental at times. I'll find myself completely broken down by all of the sadness around me.
What do you do about this? Where do you even begin? I once heard someone say that doing good felt like they were just trying to empty the ocean with an eye dropper. I don't know about you, but I can totally relate to that. The hurt of this world could fill an ocean, and I'm standing on the shore with a bucket and an eye dropper, filling the dropper and putting it in the bucket. I can do nothing but help people for the rest of my life, and there will still be sweet babies dying of starvation and AIDS in Africa.
But I guess that isn't the point. The point isn't for me to solve all of the problems in the world. Clearly, that's impossible. The point is that I live my life and, "Let all that you do be done in love (1 Cor. 16:14)." The point is that I make my mission to, "Go and make disciples of all the nations (Matt. 28:19." Basically, the point is that I follow the calling Jesus has placed on my life, no matter what. It's not necessarily about what I am doing, but more so about why I am doing it. And for the glory of Christ, I can face the hurt of the world with an attitude of compassion all day long.
I have had to learn that ultimately, it isn't about my results. It's about my faithfulness. If I watch the results, I will never be satisfied. But if I remember that I am following Christ wholeheartedly, there I will find contentment.
So, I'll continue to stand on the ocean, bucket in hand, just filling up my eye dropper, one drop at a time.
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