What are we to do when we become world-weary? Overwhelmed by bad news? Discouraged that the bad guys just keep avoiding any serious consequences? Feel everything is too much trouble that nothing seems to make any difference? When such feelings take over, I am reminded of a story we Mennonites like to tell about Orrie Miller, one of the founders of our church’s relief and material aid organization called The Mennonite Central Committee. MCC was formed back in the 1920s in response to the famine and revolution in Russia.
Orrie Miller served as the director of MCC during the Great Depression, WWI, and its aftermath. When asked how he could keep going given the heartbreaking nature of his work with refugee relocation, providing food and clothing essentials in war-ravaged areas, etc. Orrie is to have responded, “It’s like this. I say a bedtime prayer when I go to bed each night. Most often, it goes something like this: “Dear Lord, thank you for today and today’s work. I did what I could today, but there is so much left undone. I’m tired and giving the rest back to you as I need to get some rest now. If I awaken in the morning, you can load me up again, but for now, the worries and responsibilities are all yours. Goodnight,”
Orrie Miller was able to work in some of the most depressing situations and did what he could to make life a wee bit better for people caught up in horrendous situations because he knew how to let go and let God be in control. Orrie knew God did not expect him to save the world. God has already done that by sending Jesus to show us how to live and die. Orrie saw himself as one set of God’s hands and feet and voice and did his best to share God’s love and resources with those most needing hope and healing.
The thing that separates most of us from Orrie Miller is that when Orrie got tired, he didn’t worry and stew. He went to bed confident that God is in control and that he, Orrie, could only do what he could do. The rest is up to God.
Step Two reads: Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity,” while Step Three adds: “turned our will and our lives over to the care and guidance of the God of our understanding.”