It has happened. Yesterday I was sitting with Krista watching a movie. It had been a long day and I had seen a couple clients and I was thinking about how varied my life is. I sit in a counseling room as people poor out their hearts and troubles and I interact with them about them hoping that a word I say will offer a glimpse of hope and light in their darkness. Then I go home and eat supper. I listen to people talk about addictions, abuse and aimlessness and then head off to Wal-mart. Perhaps it is out of necessity, but I feel as though I have been desensitized. Should it be so easy to compartmentalize my life in such a way that I can be crying with a client one minute and laughing as I watch Dumb and Dumber the next? Maybe this isn't desensitization but something else. Every now and then I catch a glimpse of my life from a different perspective and it shocks me. What if I have things all wrong? Should I feel so much compassion that it is on my heart constantly? How do I appropriately separate my feelings of hurt and sorrow for my clients and my life outside the counseling room? These things keep me wondering about the joy of the Lord and his sorrow over the actions of his creation.
~JK
3 comments:
I understand you completely. I feel the same when one of my patients die on me. But you have to be able to put those feelings aside and go on with life. If you don't then you will be brought down by depression and anger. Look at Jesus as an example, he saw terrible things (demons, death, hate) and he had his friends dissapoint him with their lack of faith (think about Judas!! or the mother who died and his friend was angry with him for letting her die), he was able to put those aside and move on. We too must do the same...does that make sense?
I agree that it's probably necessary to do at least a little compartmentalizing in your life, especially in your line of work. You've got that hour with your client and the rest is up to them and God. It's up to them to put what y'all talked about into practice.
But I do think its a good thing that you feel for your clients. Perhaps that's something that will keep you motivated in years ahead during times when work becomes drudgery.
Amen to Val's comment. And He did not just move on, but He took time off to re-energize, and He went to feasts (roughly equivalent to modern-day parties). He probably enjoyed Himself once in a while.
Amen to Mitch's and Donald's comments, too. Maybe you should be praying for your clients (if you're not already), but aside from that, the time you're with them is your responsibility to them, and your time with your family is your responsibility to your family.
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