From the book Equilibrium.
Yes, people cause hurts.
Yes, like us, other people are weak.
But caring for people is what makes us different. Caring for people is what really matters. Whatever our unique giftings and talents, I hope we all have this in common: I hope we care. With true, sincere, deep care, I hope we lead as servant hearts and sincere motives. It helps to remember how much Jesus cares for us and to love other people with His love.
But remember this statement: Care deeply but refuse to let the conditions of others control you.
The problem? We often carry too much of the problems of others into our inner lives and our homes. Deep hurts begin to control us. Our moods, our words, our decisions. We can become controlling and angry. We can become distant and reluctant. We can love and listen, while working to find ways to not carry our care on our shoulders with us wherever we go.
Jesus cared enough to die, but He also frequently left the crowds to rest with the Father.
And please remember this: Let someone care for you.
Do not only be a giver of care. Be a receiver of care. Find the right person and the right people to care for you. It must be intentional, though God often brings people into our lives in surprising times. It must be sincere, though God can slowly work us into a place of better trust as we deal properly with hurts from our past.
No, we do not need to be addicted to our roles as rescuers. We can cast our cares on the true Caregiver. Though there is danger in rescue addiction, choosing to pause and breathe and listen to guidance from others will help us find a better balance of caring but not carrying.
Pause today.
Breathe today.
Rest today.
Care deeply.
Carry lightly.
And let there be peace in the caring.
I personally tend to care too much about what others think of me, which is one of my biggest weaknesses. I also care about the ones I love to the point where their pain hurts me as well. It is important to care for those we love, but to carry their struggles lightly with us and lean towards God.
Sometimes I care too much about others that I forget to take care of myself. I love to love the people around me and make sure they are happy but I also need to be open to recieve help. Thank you for the reminder to do that. God always cares no matter what.
Sometimes it is difficult for me to be a receiver of care rather than giving it. I find it hard to trust people and to let them into my life. This blog is a great reminder that not only we should care for others but also for ourselves.
Learning to put yourself first is something many of us struggle with and do not learn until it is the hard way. Since my freshman year I’ve tried my best to develop a mindset of not caring as much of what others think of me, because it is very easy to say but then actually acting out is a whole different game. So finding the right people through God’s help and intention will work us into a place of trust so that we find a medium between caring enough but still caring about yourself as well.
It can be hard to let others care for you when you are so used to caring for other people. I used to care a lot about what others thought about me and I needed everyone to like me. This caused me to lose who I was and I did not take care of myself. I also poured a lot of effort into people who did not return the effort to me. I can still care and respect those people but I never lose the care and respect I have for myself.
Care should never be a one-sided act but an exchange. It is a beautiful thing to find someone who cares for you the way you care for them. Life should not be taken on alone, we need community even if your community is that one person. I find this with my two best friends, we care for each other and protect the community.
I found myself in a conversation recently where I was sharing some of the thoughts I had been struggling with and got no response or something off topic in return… Some relationships are for you to listen while others are for mutual sharing, I think that I am only now realizing this. It is so important to share with the right people who will allow you to be heard.
I was able to personally connect with this blog post. One day in class, I asked that you guys prayed for my situation and ask Jesus to provide strength for me in a current situation I was struggling with. In this, similar to the blog topic, I was consumed by the pressures and feelings of my friends struggles so deeply, I started to let it affect my mental strength and happiness. As being someone that a lot of people come to for comfort and care, it can also take a mental toll on me as I personally hold their feelings too. This blog post reminded me to let other people care for me as well, but do not let other peoples struggles weigh on me.