Not My Circus

I'm not sure that this will help anyone but me today. But it's what God laid on my heart. I saw it written recently: Not my circus, not my monkeys. Apparently, it's a Polish proverb. It made me laugh. And then it made me think. How I live my life and interact with people is the most wonderful thing that God could have ever asked me to do. I love the ministry and I love counseling. He created me for this. I count it a privilege to be a part of other people's lives. I genuinely love others and sincerely share their burdens and take them with me to the Throne of Grace. I try with all of my heart to help through the principles of God's Word and the bit of wisdom that He's given me. I know that is how God wants us to live. He tells us so, plainly. Galatians 6:2 says, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." But, how I live my life and interact with people is the most precarious thing that God could have ever asked me to do. I take the burdens and heartaches of others, and I make them mine. And I need great wisdom from God not to be overwhelmed with their sadness. I've told you before, there is something wrong with my empathy gene. I can't even watch Disney movies, remember? Bambi traumatized my childhood. Okay, I know that empathy is not a gene; it's an emotion. But whatever you want to call it, mine seems to be a bit overactive. I believe God's is too, so I'm okay with it. I just have to be careful. I could live under a dark cloud all of the time. I choose not to. I choose, with God's help, to live with passion and enthusiasm and great joy. He helps me sort that through. He is so sweet and good to me. I love Him so much! Have I told you that lately? Sometimes God puts someone in my life with whom I can share my life and heartaches, as well. They are called trusted friends. They are my inner circle. God gives me the grace to make their burdens mine but yet it doesn't add to my load. I love that. I am rich beyond measure. And then, with others, God helps me to remember. I just have to give them to the Lord and not carry them. So now, I have a saying to remind me. Not my circus; not my monkeys.

Because I have my own circus, and I love my monkeys dearly. :)