It’s frustrating that I can’t change everything bad in the world. But it’s okay.

“My life cannot implement in action the demands for all the people to whom my heart responds.”

                              -Anne Lindbergh

Lately, I’ve been feeling frustrated. I look at all the crap in the world, I think of all the people who are in physical, emotional, and spiritual pain, people suffering the anguish of poverty (read that article!), and I know I cannot change it. I cannot help everyone. I can’t take away their problems. I feel powerless and overwhelmed. I feel guilty for all the blessings I have that others don’t. I don’t even know where to begin to even try to alleviate any of it.

“I see everything that’s going wrong… 

and I feel like I don’t have the means to rise above and beat it.”

      -John Mayer (who else?)

…

So, yeah, there’s some definite frustration going on here. Buuuuuuuuuuut….I’ve really given this topic a lot of thought (duh), and I’ve “searched, pondered, and prayed” about it. And here’s what I’ve come up with:

It’s okay that I can’t single-handedly solve poverty.

It’s okay that I can’t do it all.

It’s okay that there is some suffering that I can’t change.

It’s okay to be happy (women are that they might have joy, right?)

If I am trying my best to be mindful of the needs of others (whether in my community, Church, or even with my family and friends) and am looking to stretch and give of myself, opportunities will arise to serve. I can use my resources, knowledge, network skills, and means to help people as I’ve done in the past. And as for all the people who aren’t quite in my sphere of influence, I can trust that other people are working hard in order to help meet their needs. The Lord has promised that “if ye desire, ye shall be the means of doing much good in this generation” (Doctrine & Covenants 6:8). That is what I desire, and He’ll follow through if I will. 🙂

If I care for my family, do my Visiting Teaching, give some of my times and resources (as is appropriate) to reputable causes, and just overall do the best I can, then perhaps the Lord can say of me as he did of the poor woman who anointed Him with oil :

“She hath done what she could.”

– Mark 14:8 

Perhaps all I can add is a few grains of sand. But as long as I’m sacrificing and taking the opportunities to help, that’s enough. And in conclusion of this post, lemme you leave with a short little saying (I made it up myself!):

Don’t underestimate the Power of One

But don’t feel like you alone have to get it all done

🙂