In a recent advice column, a
writer lamented that she was accident prone and with her most recent injury,
rather than getting sympathy from friends, they teased her about her clumsiness.
The columnist suggested that her friends may have compassion fatigue. I
sometimes feel guilty over what feels like a lack of sympathy and empathy, but
I’d never considered a spectrum for compassion. I can relate to compassion
fatigue. “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word” (Psalm
119:28 NIV).
2 comments:
Gail;
-----Fatigue is both a frame of mind and condition of body. Sometimes it can be one or the other.
But when the time is not for rest, fatigue is the enemy.
-----Self-control always struck me as the underlying aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. Self-control prepares the soil of the soul for growing the others. In fact, particularly focused self-control can play a major roll in the development of the rest of the fruit of the Spirit as well as many important psychological and social traits not listed amongst Paul’s fruit of the Spirit. But its developmental roll works only through another major roll player of the Spirit’s fruit: faithfulness. When we faithfully control our responses to particular situations, we develop new habits, which can eventually become more automatic than the old habits they replace.
-----When the body gives out is a seriously important time for rest. Anything short of that calls for a consideration of the present situation. Sometimes the demand for a piece of work or an attitude (like compassion) is both significant and urgent. Short of the body giving out, when a serious demand is presented, do we serve the Lord by claiming fatigue, or do we by meeting the demand? Sometimes life is tough. “I’m sick of X!” or “I’m tired of Y!” or “I won’t have it!” are not welcome expressions coming from my mind. Occasionally I will produce one. But I will always respond to myself, “There’s too much life to go to be sick or tired. Buck it up, little buckaroo.” And exactly who am I to decide what I will or will not have? Ultimately, that’s the Lord’s decision to make. If He decides I will have it, then my response is “Okay. Let‘s have an appropriate measure.”
-----Character and good habits are really in danger when the body is far from fatigued. Mental and emotional fatigue have no lower boundaries for things we don‘t particularly like to do. So, less will fatigue you more today than what fatigued you yesterday. This is why Paul thinks it so important to not complain, but always give thanks in everything. Complaint is a fatigue inviter. And it particularly calls up those character killers: “I am sick of X, I am tired of Y, and I won’t have them anymore!” It is important to note the problems involving your situation. But always note them with thanksgiving. There is one basic reason we can be thankful for what is being deleterious to us. God allows nothing to happen that He does not will. “If He wills it, who am I to complain?” His love for us ties something good to every thing bad (Romans 8:28.) The string might be mighty long, reaching through years of tomorrows before that other end comes all tied up to something good. But the string is as present as is the bad it‘s tied to. And it is the first reason for thanking God when anything not good happens. Thankfulness helps stimulate stamina. Stamina is regenerative to soggy attitudes. “12Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.” (Hebrews 12:12-13)
Love you all,
Steve Corey
Gail;
-----Fatigue is both a frame of mind and condition of body. Sometimes it can be one or the other.
But when the time is not for rest, fatigue is the enemy.
-----Self-control always struck me as the underlying aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. Self-control prepares the soil of the soul for growing the others. In fact, particularly focused self-control can play a major roll in the development of the rest of the fruit of the Spirit as well as many important psychological and social traits not listed amongst Paul’s fruit of the Spirit. But its developmental roll works only through another major roll player of the Spirit’s fruit: faithfulness. When we faithfully control our responses to particular situations, we develop new habits, which can eventually become more automatic than the old habits they replace.
-----When the body gives out is a seriously important time for rest. Anything short of that calls for a consideration of the present situation. Sometimes the demand for a piece of work or an attitude (like compassion) is both significant and urgent. Short of the body giving out, when a serious demand is presented, do we serve the Lord by claiming fatigue, or do we by meeting the demand? Sometimes life is tough. “I’m sick of X!” or “I’m tired of Y!” or “I won’t have it!” are not welcome expressions coming from my mind. Occasionally I will produce one. But I will always respond to myself, “There’s too much life to go to be sick or tired. Buck it up, little buckaroo. And exactly who am I to decide what I will or will not have?” Ultimately, that’s the Lord’s decision to make, “…Thy will be done on earth as in heaven.”. If He decides I will have it, then my response is “Okay. Let‘s have an appropriate measure of it!”
-----Character and good habits are really in danger when the body is far from fatigued. Mental and emotional fatigue have no lower boundaries for things we don‘t particularly like to do. So, less will fatigue you more today than what fatigued you yesterday. This is why Paul thinks it so important to not complain, but always give thanks in everything. Complaint is a fatigue inviter. And it particularly calls up those character killers: “I am sick of X, I am tired of Y, and I won’t have them anymore!” It is important to note the problems involving your situation. But always note them with thanksgiving. There is one basic reason we can be thankful for what is being deleterious to us. God allows nothing to happen that He does not will. “If He wills it, who am I to complain?” His love for us ties something good to every thing bad (Romans 8:28.) The string might be mighty long, reaching through years of tomorrows before that other end comes all tied up to something good. But the string is as present as is the bad it‘s tied to. And it is the first reason for thanking God when anything not good happens. Thankfulness helps stimulate stamina. Stamina is regenerative to soggy attitudes. “Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.” (Hebrews 12:12-13)
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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