Burn out or flood in?

I was talking to my mom the other day about different jobs that I could do in social work, and I started thinking about something that's so crucial.

You hear all the time about social workers getting "burn out" because of working really hard jobs, such as being case workers for child abuse and neglect. Aside from social work, people in society say they could never do certain jobs because of the amount of suffering and evil they would see. People fear becoming jaded and they fear losing their peace of mind that even though evil exists, we're still ok. They fear that somehow in the process of confronting horrible and unimaginable circumstances, that slowly the amount of goodness in the world will dissipate.

Friends, brothers, sisters...I believe these ideals are mistaken. If anything, I believe Scripture and the very nature and character of God would lead us to the opposite. He is the Wellspring of Life! Everything good comes from Him, and nothing that is not good comes from Him. As long as we allow His Spirit to dwell in us, we will be like a spring in a desert, sunshine in darkness, rain in drought. His Spirit gives life, and nothing that it touches remains unchanged. Facing suffering and evil should push us closer to Him, that He may pour out more of His Spirit on us. Facing suffering and evil should provide an even starker contrast that we may see and believe more than ever how good God is and how true the goodness is that He has placed on the earth.

I will boldly and gladly face anything God puts in front of me on this earth. If he sends me to work in the inner-city to counsel murderers, if He sends me to be a case worker for child abuse, if He sends me to war-torn regions of Africa...I will do it all knowing that what is not burned in the fire is refined by it, a beauty to behold. :)