4 Ways Information Overload Stunts Your Spiritual Growth

We see urgent, heartfelt pleas for followers to respond to the various crises unfolding across the globe. While the needs being highlighted are often very real, seeing them online so frequently actually stunts our ability to take real action. Yes, posts and articles can shed light on things, but taking action requires the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Not to mention, compassion fatigue is real, and over time, the bombardment of bad news leaves us feeling helpless to make any real difference in this world. Most of the time, the work we can do and Christ is leading us towards exists in the context of our daily lives in our particular locality. So many times, we are distracted by global tragedies (of which there is an endless stream), and we miss out on the issues that face our neighbors, friends, city, or state. Yes, we can pray for the wars and injustices that are faced around the globe. We can vote wisely for the leaders making decisions that impact these events, but practically, what we can get involved with will exist in your particular community. If you see a global problem that moves your heart as a Christ follower, the next step to being a light is finding a local way to make an impact. If your heart hurts for broken families, then getting involved with your local DSS is your best next step, as is potentially becoming licensed as a foster parent. If the plight of a refugee grieves you, find support for the ones in your locality. If racism has you up at night, engage with a Be the Bridge group or start one! I have bad news: As a Christ follower, an impassioned post is not enough. God calls us to be his hands and feet, which requires getting a little dirty in this world’s muddy chaos.Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Christin Hume