I have often joked about being incapable of feeling, and I’ve even been called an ice queen on more than one occasion. But the truth is more complicated than that.

The truth is, I am at the opposite side of the emotional spectrum with those who identify as HSP’s (Highly Sensitive Persons) and empaths. Instead of feeling nothing, our default is to feel everything. We have highly tuned nervous systems which makes us very sensitive to sounds, tastes, lights, colors, and other things that seem normal to the rest of the population. Empaths have a heightened sensitivity to others emotions and physical energies. We not only pick up on others emotional levels, but also subconsciously internalize those emotions. This can be incredibly helpful in counseling situations, but it can also be overwhelming and physically draining, even causing physical ailments at times.

As a defense mechanism, HSP’s and empaths learn to put up walls and shut things out. We don’t watch the news. We don’t listen to stories about broken bones and surgeries. We use earbuds in crowded areas to ward off sensory overload. We ignore our imaginations, we shut down our emotions, and sometimes we flat out refuse to care.

• disease
• crime
• genocide
• puppy mills
• food deserts
• ISIS
• human trafficking
• homelessness
• child labor
• contaminated water
• abusive relationships

It’s too much. The hurt is too great, the world is too big, and we often feel that we are too small to stem the tide. What can one person do? And if we care about one thing, we have to care about EVERYTHING, right? So…into the sand we go, head first.

When I first learned about sex trafficking, I was shocked and appalled, which quickly turned into a wildfire of anger. Maybe because I’m a woman, or an aunt, or afraid of rape, or because I’m an empath—it’s difficult to say. But the truth gripped my heart that day and refused to let go.

You can imagine my confusion when I started sharing what I had learned and people didn’t want to know. I heard things like “I just can’t think about that” and “I have too many other things to worry about.” Several people said, “doesn’t that just happen overseas?” as if an act so evil against one human doesn’t impact us all.

I didn’t understand how people could react in these ways until I saw myself in the same light. I too had become deadened to the pain of others in many areas. I’ve chosen, at times, to look away from the hungry man holding the cardboard sign. I’ve clicked away from the photos of innocents being beheaded, and turned off videos discussing embryos being dissected for their organs.

Hiding is easy. Pretending to not see has its benefits.

But what if we did see? What if we did feel?

What if we had a God who was powerful enough to change things?

What would the world look like if we made the decision to feel again? What if we faced the injustices around us and responded with “God can” instead of “I can’t”? What if we looked at the pictures of people trapped in slavery? What if we read the stories about the displaced refugees fleeing ISIS?

What if we fought the ostriches inside of us and took a stand?

There is a war against humanity raging all around us, and Satan is the captain at the helm. We can numb ourselves in our bunkers with our lattes and Gucci bags, or we can strap on our helmets of salvation and our shields of faith and storm the gates of poverty, slavery, disease, and more.

We who are Christians have been given freedom in Christ. It is a precious gift that came at an unimaginable price. To hoard what we have makes me question whether we really received the genuine article or if we just wanted to join Christianity as a social status choice. To truly be carriers of the gospel, we must accept our responsibility to take it to the streets, the homeless shelters, and the refugee camps.

“By this we know love, that He laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” 1 John 3:16

Thank you so much for coming by my blog today and reading these words. It’s an honor I do not take lightly. If you are interested in supporting my ministry or taking part in my writing process, please visit my Patreon page to learn more.