Empathy Disabling

Today, with the help of my close friend, Lauren Rudolph, I entered the playground of my own soul. I have been blocked, stuck or perhaps struck, with a sense of inability, a desperate hopelessness. Not long ago a man spoke to the congregation at my church about the International Justice Mission. Their purpose is to seek and find the enslaved, including children, rescue them, help heal them, go after perpetrators and prosecute them, bringing justice to and for the maltreated and innocent.  I want so badly to help too and my fear has been gripping me...today I learned what was at the root of my fear. I have been terrified of hearing the stories and having my heart break, unable to stop crying, grieving for the beautiful people who deserve by virtual of being humans, love and kindness and most of all freedom.  During my conversation with Lauren, she probed and asked about me owning the pain of others...this stopped me in my tracks and helped me recall Mother Theresa who worked with joy in her heart for the hungry, sick and dying, telling her workers that they were to be joyful, never downcast. Empathy has its place, it is a glorious point of connectedness between humans, clearly this is devoid, non existent in those who liberally use others with disregard for their pain.  Having empathy is a catalyst and this is where the I must do something driving force comes from~this said, the question turns into is it my pain or theirs and will I give it back so that the gift they receive when helped is healing, curative, and separate from the freedom fighters so that they become strong, empowered and fortified to fight the good fight for themselves and others?  Empathy is crippling if it stays there, moving forward into action, believing and knowing that the fire of God is in all men, that is when empathy becomes a life giving transformational living breathing entity.