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How to Avoid Compassion Fatigue

September 30, 2016

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Colossians 3:1-2

1. MAINTAIN AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE. The best part of life is Jesus. Everything we do is for an audience of One. Life here on earth has too many needs for us to ever keep track of and take care of, and that’s why we must keep seeking the eternal things of Jesus and trust Him with this life.

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other. Colossians 3:12-13a

2. BE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. The overload of need can be desensitizing. When you are led by human sympathy instead of God’s compassion, you’ll end up doing the wrong thing that will stimulate your pride or sense of heroism. But when you are led by the Holy Spirit, you will have energy for the right things.

3. PUT ON A HEART OF COMPASSION. The Holy Spirit wants to move each one of us into places of tremendous fulfillment and achievement, but we can’t do that with compassion fatigue. Stay ready by refusing to allow a callus to grow over your heart. Every day ask God to create a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit in you (Psalm 51:10). Keep on showing up, keep on seeking the things above, keep on boldly declaring the Word, keep on crucifying your flesh, keep on walking in love. Keep on keeping on!

Press on,
Pastor Jeff

PRAY THIS PRAYER
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10). I keep my heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life (Proverbs 4:23). I put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience and above all I put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity (Colossians 3:12-14).

com·pas·sion, noun
Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.

Copyright © 2016 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. “Compassion.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright © 2016 by Houghton.