When the Needs Don’t Stop.
Leading Through Compassion Fatigue
I remember that day so clearly. I was sitting in my office, feeling numb—immobilized, really. We were deep in the ministry season, juggling multiple projects, and the needs around us felt endless. Partners were reaching out with urgent requests. Foster families we served were in crisis. Leadership was interested in adding a new partner. And it felt like we were fielding ten new asks a week through emails and phone calls.
I couldn’t make decisions anymore. I just wanted to say, “Absolutely not. Please, just go away.” If one more person had walked into my office, I might’ve completely lost it.
As the Outreach Pastor of a large church, the needs never stopped. God had blessed us with the ability to be generous—but it still wasn’t enough to help everyone. And if I’m being honest, I started getting annoyed. People came to us because we were a large church—and assumed we could help. But few tried to understand me, our team, or the mission we were working toward.
Maybe you’ve been there too—bombarded by requests, paralyzed by the weight of others’ needs, and slowly growing cold-hearted. That’s compassion fatigue.
According to Helen Brown, PhD, compassion fatigue is the emotional and physical exhaustion that comes from caring for others without adequate self-care. Symptoms include diminished empathy, irritability, hopelessness, a sense of failure, low productivity, and emotional disconnection.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Here are a few questions to help you reflect and recalibrate in a season of compassion fatigue.
Step 1: Diagnose What’s Happening
1. Am I being honest about it?
The first step is recognizing it—and then being honest. Find a few trusted people (a mentor, teammate, or friend) who can help hold what you’re feeling, support you, and offer encouragement.
2. How are my self-care rhythms?
In seasons of compassion fatigue, I often neglected key areas of life. Take inventory of your spiritual, physical, mental, relational, and emotional rhythms. Put a plan in place to care for each area—and ask someone to hold you accountable. (Side note: You’ve got to work your care plan—especially in seasons like this. The temptation will be to drop it first, but that’s when you need it most.)
3. Am I letting my team help?
In my early years as a leader, I used to think I had to carry everything myself. But God didn’t design us to bear burdens alone. Invite your team to collaborate, make decisions, and pray with you. There’s power in community—and the weight doesn’t have to rest on you alone.
Step 2: Strengthen What Guides You
4. Is your mission, strategy, and values clear?
Clarity makes decision-making easier. Our Outreach team had a clear strategy: we prioritized church planting, leadership development, and vulnerable children. We also had six values we used as a rubric for making partnership decisions.
These filters helped us say no with confidence—and with kindness. If a need didn’t align with our strategy, we’d point them to someone else, pray with them, or offer non-financial support. Saying no doesn’t mean shutting the door. It means stewarding wisely what God has entrusted to you.
And here’s the hard part: we have to let go of the desire to help everyone all the time. Even Jesus didn’t heal everyone He met. We must be okay with sticking to the people and places God has called us—and releasing the world’s unmet needs to Him.
5. Am I celebrating what we are doing?
Celebrate every “yes.” Each one is a Kingdom win. As a leader, you set the tone—so lead with gratitude and celebration. When we thank God for the small part we get to play in meeting needs, we remember that He’s the one who holds all needs in His hands.
Compassion fatigue is real—but it doesn’t have to lead to burnout. Take time to reflect, reset, and offer what you’re carrying back to God. Then step confidently into the doors He’s opening for you and your team to make a Kingdom impact.
About the Author:
Shannon Garcia serves as Church Partnerships Director at International Justice Mission, helping churches across the U.S. engage in making justice for the poor unstoppable. With over a decade of experience in church leadership and global missions, Shannon is passionate about mobilizing believers to serve the marginalized in meaningful and holistic ways. She holds a degree in Intercultural Studies from Lincoln Christian University and enjoys reading a good book, kickboxing, Mexican food with friends, and walks with her husband and kids.