Do you ever feel like you're weighed down?

[GodsPrincess]

Previously, I haven’t ever really had the gift of being compassionate toward people, causes or things that happen around me… That’s a pretty bold thing to admit, but… since I’ve become really strong in faith, compassion is something that I can’t help to feel about almost every thing in my life to the point that it’s driving me crazy. I wish I could just turn off. I liked it when I didn’t really care cos then I didn’t feel guilty about not being able to change the things that are not in my hands.

I have so many causes on my heart and this crazy little dream of being able to change the world… It’s weighing me down and I am starting to feel depressed whenever happiness comes over me because so many are suffering. I watched the movie “Taken” the other day and it got me thinking about human trafficking for sexual exploitation and I read up on it, and probably it was the worst thing to do. Why can’t I stop it? What can I do to help? Where do I begin?

I got a newsletter from world vision last week. I want to send all my money to help those children. I want to sponsor children I want to organise a way to help sponsor them and yet… I don’t have the financial means to do so…

My friend and I decided to do these little quiet missions in our city recently that are all faith-motivated just so we are doing SOMETHING … but its still not enough. We will go to hospitals once a week to pray for the sick and dying, we are putting together a youth thing and we are just kicking butt in that area, but … there’s still so much to do and I just want to cry because I hate seeing so much unhappiness and helplessness around me…

Prolife causes, The Holy Rosary, The importance of Christ’s Divine Mercy & Redemption thru St. Faustina, the wonderful comfort of St. Raphael the Archangel… all these things are things that I want to promote crazily so that everyone can open up their eyes, ears and hearts to God like I have… and I just don’t even know where to begin.

I know we can only scope out what is on our radar and do our best to fix those things and if the opportunity arises we should take it… but it feels like a cop out… I have tried praying about all this stuff, but it feels like my prayers get blocked by the distraction of negativity when thinking about all these terrible things going on around me.

 

[Highwayhound]

Previously, I haven’t ever really had the gift of being compassionate toward people, causes or things that happen around me… That’s a pretty bold thing to admit, but… since I’ve become really strong in faith, compassion is something that I can’t help to feel about almost every thing in my life to the point that it’s driving me crazy. I wish I could just turn off. I liked it when I didn’t really care cos then I didn’t feel guilty about not being able to change the things that are not in my hands.

I have so many causes on my heart and this crazy little dream of being able to change the world… It’s weighing me down and I am starting to feel depressed whenever happiness comes over me because so many are suffering. I watched the movie “Taken” the other day and it got me thinking about human trafficking for sexual exploitation and I read up on it, and probably it was the worst thing to do. Why can’t I stop it? What can I do to help? Where do I begin?

I got a newsletter from world vision last week. I want to send all my money to help those children. I want to sponsor children I want to organise a way to help sponsor them and yet… I don’t have the financial means to do so…

My friend and I decided to do these little quiet missions in our city recently that are all faith-motivated just so we are doing SOMETHING … but its still not enough. We will go to hospitals once a week to pray for the sick and dying, we are putting together a youth thing and we are just kicking butt in that area, but … there’s still so much to do and I just want to cry because I hate seeing so much unhappiness and helplessness around me…

Prolife causes, The Holy Rosary, The importance of Christ’s Divine Mercy & Redemption thru St. Faustina, the wonderful comfort of St. Raphael the Archangel… all these things are things that I want to promote crazily so that everyone can open up their eyes, ears and hearts to God like I have… and I just don’t even know where to begin.

I know we can only scope out what is on our radar and do our best to fix those things and if the opportunity arises we should take it… but it feels like a cop out… I have tried praying about all this stuff, but it feels like my prayers get blocked by the distraction of negativity when thinking about all these terrible things going on around me.

I had feeling like you describe when I was a younger man. I had a real positive feeling while reading your post. Keep at it, trust in Jesus and the two of you will figure out a plan. Remember - Faith is not a cop out (by the way aren’t you too young to use the phrase ‘cop out’, very much a 70’s phrase). I applaud your efforts at the hospital. I visit a nursing home once a week and visit my friends.

Could you tell us more about your youth project? I have spent 16 years coaching youth and 3 years teaching at my church. Sometimes you will not see the results of how you impact youth until you see them later in life.

My class of kids collect loose change in our pockets each week at the start of class. Our goal is $200 dollars for the school year. The money goes towards our church’s social needs fund. Last Monday a man came to the office seeking help with an electric bill. The secretary was gone so I called Fr. Gimpl from the office. Father wrote the man a check. Not all $$ matters have to be big. Set a small goal and go from there.

May God inspire you

 

[RosaLydia]

I do struggle with this a lot, but I am learning that the fountain of all service is prayer. That is from the relationship with have with the Lord. Otherwise, we can run around like chickens with our heads cut off, worrying, getting anxious, so much to do, so many causes, trying to solve all by our efforts. We have to let go and realize that God is in charge of everything and that whatever service you do, has to be for Him and thru Him and then the little seed that one as an individual can plant will grow immensely.

You have a very generous heart & have lots to do, do not let worry keep you from the true fuel - prayer.

Peace

 

[Belle10]

I know we can only scope out what is on our radar and do our best to fix those things and if the opportunity arises we should take it… but it feels like a cop out… I have tried praying about all this stuff, but it feels like my prayers get blocked by the distraction of negativity when thinking about all these terrible things going on around me.

It certainly is easy to get overwhelmed by the need in our world, but it is wonderful that you recognize it and want to do something to help others! Keep praying (an act of mercy in itself) and keep trying your best to help others. Remember these wise words of Mother Theresa of Calcutta:

“Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”

“It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.”

~source: brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mother_teresa.html

You can’t do everything, so just focus on what you CAN do. :hug1:

 

[GodsGadfly]

“Small things with great love.”
St. Therese wanted to solve all those problems, and she decided that there was one thing she could do: pray, and offer her entire life as an act of love: If we are all different parts of Chrsit’s body, she reasoned, someone needs to be the Heart, so, “In the heart of the Church I will be love.”

 

[GodsPrincess]

Sorry about my late reply. Thank you everyone for your advice. It’s a hard time, but I know I will get through it. I have been trying to help in so many ways… but I don’t want to fall in to the trap of getting too down about it because then it will be too hard to dust myself off and get back up, spiritually.

Yesterday I fed a homeless man, I said a Rosary for the unborn, I started to devise a plan to organise a Rosary-making group so that I am able to send/gift Rosaries to those who may not know anything about it…

I have a youth project halfway going…

A friend called me in distress at 7am, and I prayed with him for half an hour, the rosary, and other prayers for special intentions…

I am doing a lot of things, but I wish it felt like enough. But through all this I have been praying a devotion to the Infant Child of Prague and asking for the direction and discernment of what causes in particular are on my heart that need to go in to full bloom… I know with time it’ll settle but right now it’s pretty full on.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

Jesus did not cure every sick person who lived in His time, nor did He solve every world problem of His day. He did give us an example to follow of love and service, and I think you are following His example.

Be careful not to take on too much, or you will burn out or not be able to do any of it well. Prayerfully discern what God is calling YOU to do.

God bless you for your generous spirit!