Overcoming Compassion Fatigue
By Amanda Idleman
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” - Galatians 6:9
A learned helplessness can saturate our lives because we see so many problems that are all so much bigger than our ability to help with. This dynamic is known as compassion fatigue. We can face this kind of burnout in our personal relationships when we grow so weary of the pain of those around us that we ourselves begin to emotionally shut down. Another word for this is secondary trauma, it’s when the trauma of others begins to inflict trauma on us.
Compassion fatigue hits those who are in high-stress caretaking roles, but when there is so much information for us to consume, I think any of us can begin to become desensitized and overwhelmed by the problems we see in the world that we check out.
Yet, we know that true religion is to care for the widows and orphans (James 1:27). Christ-followers are called to be the light in this world. We are here to bring Heaven down. We can’t do that if we are already tapped out just from watching the nightly news.
The question is, how do we balance the call to love our neighbor and be Kingdom bringers and justice pursuers while still guarding our hearts against the heaviness that can turn us off from being able to care well for the world around us?
1. Guard Your Heart
If we are caretakers or work in an industry where trauma is around us, we have to guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23). The biggest lie the enemy can feed us when we have stepped into a high-stress role is that we can do this on our own. I hate to tell you, but you can’t, no matter how strong or talented you are. You need rest, God, and others to support you, and you are a person with limits.
2. Find Your Calling and Passion
One issue with knowing too much is that we lose focus. It’s so easy for our hearts to get tossed around from one issue to another. Scattered people are ineffective people. Everyone who made a real impact in this world did it for one cause. Bryan Stevenson, the attorney who has tirelessly worked to undue injustices in our judicial system, has spent his life working in this area. He’s made a real impact by being focused on an issue that he is very passionate about.
Think about what it is that grieves your heart most. What talents have you been given? What connections do you have? What resources could you leverage for the benefit of others? How can you support others in your community who need to see more of God’s light? What in your life is pushing back the darkness, how can you lean into that role? These questions can help guide you toward your passion and help you use what you’ve been given to make a difference in this area.
3. Avoid FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
It’s helpful to remind us that our ‘one thing’ is enough. It’s easy to experience FOMO when it comes to serving our communities. We can easily see the great work of others and wonder why we aren’t doing the same. Our only job is to be faithful in the calling God has given us. Worldly ‘success’ is not the goal, but faithfulness to God is.
4. Let Prayer Be Your First Weapon
Whatever we see that grieves our heart, in order to really see God move on our behalf, we need his Spirit to go before us! We activate God’s Holy Spirit through intercession (Ephesians 6:18). Bring the things that we see going wrong around us to the Lord. It’s only through his miracle-working power that change can happen.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Take time to honestly evaluate where you have grown weary. What boundaries need to be established in your life in order to guard your heart? How can you find rest, refreshment, and joy in the Lord again? What injustices grieve your heart most, and how can you become more focused in your efforts to be a light bearer in this realm?
Further Reading:
The Ministry of Hard Things
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Related Resource: How Habit Stacking Will Help You Discipline Your Mind, Body, & Spirit
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