How to Turn Passion Into PurposeExemplo

Meaningful social action almost inevitably begins with heartbreak. Social action requires vulnerability, the willingness to let down our guard and allow ourselves to be wounded and even scarred by evil so we can find the passion we need to confront it.

As adults we may need to recognize and dismantle the self-protective mechanisms we use to ward off heartbreak. We may need to let go of judgments or cynicism that allow us to justify the suffering of others. We may need to enter into another person’s need or suffering rather than numbing our sorrow or anger over tragedy. We may need to look beyond the routine distractions of daily life, including the pursuit of our own comfort or interests, so that our hearts can be broken by the pain of those in need.

Deep grief is often the starting point for righting an injustice. And that’s a good thing. Don’t run away from that emotion. Sit with it; let it break you open; let it move you. Don’t suppress it. The world has enough hearts of stone. It needs hearts willing to ache and burn. Grief, as well as the healthy anger that often accompanies it, can fuel your passion to fight a seemingly impossible fight.

The good news is that we aren’t alone in allowing our hearts to be broken in this way. As a Christian, I believe that God became a man in the person of Jesus, and that by doing so and taking on our human nature, he allowed his own heart to break over the wounds and sin of all humanity. Whatever grief you and I might feel, we are in good company because Jesus has experienced it all. In the Gospels, he set the ultimate example of perfect compassion. Jesus wept; he mourned; and he endured great agony as he prepared to give up his life for the redemption of all humanity. Part of his agony was knowing he would be rejected by many of those whom he came to love and save. Jesus Christ, tortured and wounded, dying on a cross with nails in his hands and feet, took on all the heartbreak in the world. And he invites us to unite our love to his, to draw on his strength, and to allow our hearts to break with his.