That Which is to Give Light Must Endure Burning
Workers Praying
“That which is to give light must endure burning,” said Viktor Frankl, a renowned Austrian neurologist and holocaust survivor who spent decades empowering people to heal by finding meaning in the midst of suffering. Many of us are light bearers who care at a cost. Some of us are teachers, leaders, doctors, nurses, counselors, policemen, mothers, and fathers. In All Nations, our workers are called to be Gospel first responders — light bearers giving light in hard places around the world. Being a torch bearer where Jesus is not known is a costly and sacrificial calling.
Therefore, those of us who serve our missionaries have a sacred “duty of care” to empower the frontline workers whom Jesus has entrusted to us. In caring for others, we also have a duty of care towards ourselves. As someone who has weathered several crises, I cannot wait passively for people to knock on my door to ask how I am doing. Instead, I’ve had to create my own “circle of care”— linked by friends, mentors, debriefers, intercessors, spiritual fathers and mothers, counselors, and subject matter experts. When challenges arise, I know who to call, take a walk with, ask for prayer, go for a retreat, or get counsel. I’ve had to learn to take time out to visit an art museum, kayak on a river, schedule prayer retreats, or hike a trail to replenish, repent, and restore.
But often we have blind spots in our self-awareness and gaps in our resilience skills — I certainly have these blind spots and gaps. To help ourselves and our workers rebound from stress and develop the skills to thrive — not just survive — as light bearers in hard places, we are asking professional counselor Stepanie Hinman, author of Burning Strong without Burning Out and Building Bounce, to teach daily at our upcoming All Nations Europe Gathering on how to increase self-awareness, de-activate stressors, and expand our emotional capacity (see www.traumahealingcenterkc.com). We will be creating sacred spaces of prayer, speaking on pursuing peace to pre-empt conflict, and connecting over meals, fun, and worship.
As God has called each of us to give light and bear burdens in our spheres of influence, what are we doing to create our own circle of care? What are we doing to unveil our individual blind spots and hone our resilience skills? Frankl said that those who give light must endure burning. But let each of us do what it takes to burn strong and not burn out.
Mary
Dr. Mary Ho, DSL
All Nations International, Inc. | International Executive Leader
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