I’ve grown weary.
Weary of the “I’m outraged so you need to be, too” posts on social media and news reports.
I hope their goal is to get me riled up enough to take actions they think will help, or solve, the issue they deem to be important. I really don’t want to go the cynical route and believe they post and report the sensational just because they want follows and ratings to boost their status.
The cost of inaction
In my past, negative reaction did not equal positive action on my part.
I wasted decades being upset about different things instead of doing something to actually help the situation. And I carried the guilt of those poor decisions for a long time.
Why filter the outrage?
My spirit can’t take in all that’s wrong with the world and still be healthy.
Let me be clear, I don’t ignore the injustice or criminal behavior. But I’ve got to choose my battles and where I want to place my energy and time.
Why the world needs everyone
I truly believe that if everyone acts on the topics they feel are most important, the whole world will be more tolerable.
That’s why God made us all different. He knew it would take all of us doing what we can.
What helps me choose?
Focus on what God wants me to do.
If I’m supposed to “do” something about the “outrage”, then He’ll let me know. I can assure you, God knows He has to send me very clear messages for me to understand.
But if I don’t follow what God makes clear to me, the noise in the world overwhelms me and I don’t take any action. Bad deal for everyone.
And I want to do something that really makes a difference. Not just add to the cacophony of voices who never take a helpful action.
How do I choose?
— I limit my time watching the news. Notice I said limit, not cut it out completely. It’s important for me to be informed to be a valuable member of society.
— I stop reading (and unfollow) social media posts where the person consistently publishes “it’s time for you to be as outraged as I am” posts.
— I ask God to send me clear messages about what I need to do and how I need to help others.
— And I ask God help me NOT waste my time and life energy spouting my outrage about a particular topic just so others can get upset and outraged. Because I know if I do that, I’m trying to play God and control them and what they do.
And that is God’s job.
Not mine.
How do you determine what causes to support while protecting your spirit?
Negative Reaction Does Not Equal Positive Action – How do you determine what causes to support while protecting your spirit? Share on XJoni Vance is an award-winning author of fiction, essay, and poetry. She loves mystery, history, and how God reveals Himself every day.
May God reveal the mystery of His love in your life story.
I love this quote from your blogpost, “My spirit can’t take in all that’s wrong with the world and still be healthy.” That is very true of me also. So… I tend to withdraw from the world to reduce my stress load. I pray for our country. I will vote. But the people I tend to help are in my immediate vicinity. Family, friends, people from church. That is where I would look for needs to support.
Thanks for reading and sharing! 🙂