That sinking feeling in your chest, the sucker punch sensation in your gut, tears stinging at the corner of your eyes, the overwhelming urge to fix....all common reactions to seeing injustice or pain in someone you care about.  What do you do?

Recently, I was asked, as I often am,  on a TV interview regarding my recent trip to Haiti, "How do you deal with the feelings of what you see and hear?"  This question is just as appropriate whether you are witnessing results of a natural disaster first hand or if you see someone you love encounter a difficult or hurtful situation closer to home.  The inner reactions are often the same and the need to fix it or make the pain go away feels so urgent.  But you can't.  Many times the disaster is too big, or the event is over and cannot be reversed, or perhaps the pain is a natural consequence of someone's previous actions, which cannot be changed. 

In the quiet moments this morning as I was reflecting, I felt overwhelmed with some of these feelings.  These feelings are normal, but are not productive.  A surge of anger, a wave of sadness, feelings of helplessness must be acknowledged and then overcome.  If we allow ourselves to stay there, we just end up sitting in a swampy pit of despair which doesn't help anyone and just gets stinky.  On the other hand, if we rush headlong to fix something that is beyond our scope or outside of our realm of responsibility, we can do more damage than good; or at the very least we can waste our time or get in the way or cause resentments.

What came to my mind as I was meditating this morning was how very clear it is that so many of my prayers over the years have been answered in such remarkable ways.  I may not have seen the answer right away when I might have cried out in desperation, and yet, I am convinced that every prayer is heard the moment it is uttered.  A verse that I find comfort in often is "If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us; and if he hears us, then we know we HAVE ALREADY received what we have asked."  [I John 5:14-15]  I know he desires good and peace and joy and wisdom and growth and unity and provision and love for each of us.  So, even as I feel heartache, and utter a prayer, I know that prayer is heard and being answered.  Sometime it takes a while to manifest

The second part of this puzzle is to do what we CAN.  Can I offer encouragement?  Can I give something to make the journey easier to bear?  What can I do in the situation that makes sense and actually contributes to a solution or resolution without robbing the person involved of the privilege of personal responsibility and growth?  When I have done what I can, I am reminded that we should not "grow weary in doing good, for we WILL reap...if we do not give up."  [Galatians 6:9]  I have seen this happen.  Does it always happen quickly?  Ah....no.  But it does happen.  Things do change.  We cannot change yesterday, but starting today, we can create a better tomorrow, and feel good about a productive today.  When you are living a productive life, breathing deeply, discerning the best course to take, we protect ourselves from the overwhelm of sadness and the mire of uncontrolled anger or fear. 

One of the joys and privileges of growing older is you have more hindsight to see that these things are actually true  So take a deep breath, say a prayer, make a plan and move on.  And walk in joy.

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