--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a journalist, I have seen things that…" description: "\"“As a journalist, I have seen things that have scarred me. I have interacted with people who have haunted me. I have heard things that have pained me. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/lisa-ling-10931_faith_as-a-journalist-i-have-seen-things-that_759211.png" --- # As a journalist, I have seen things that have scarred me… ![“As a journalist, I have seen things that have scarred me. I have interacted with people who have haunted me. I have heard things that have pained me. As a result, I have long struggled with the notion of faith. I have said more times than I can count, "If there is a God, how can he allow this to…” quote by Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/lisa-ling-10931_faith_as-a-journalist-i-have-seen-things-that_759211.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/lisa-ling-10931_faith_as-a-journalist-i-have-seen-things-that_759211.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d62/lisa-ling-10931_faith_as-a-journalist-i-have-seen-things-that_759211.png) > ““As a journalist, I have seen things that have scarred me. I have interacted with people who have haunted me. I have heard things that have pained me. As a result, I have long struggled with the notion of faith. I have said more times than I can count, "If there is a God, how can he allow this to happen? How can he let so many people suffer?" Several years ago, I married a man of strong faith. One day he sent an email to me that said this: "On a street corner I saw a cold, shivering girl in a thin dress, with no hope of a decent meal. I got angry and said to God, 'Why did you permit this? Why don't you do something about it?' God replied, 'I certainly did something about it. I made you." Whenever I start to blame God for what I encounter in the world, I stop and remind myself that maybe it is I who should be doing more. We get so hung up on the notion of success that we can easily forget about being of service to others. I have actually found that giving of oneself is far more fulfilling than gifting oneself.”” [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker shares personal suffering and doubts about faith, then recounts a story where God’s response redirects responsibility back to the individual, emphasizing service over blame. **In simple terms:** Personal hardship leads to questioning faith; a story shows responsibility lies with us, not divine. Key Takeaway Focus on helping others rather than blaming higher powers. Themes faith suffering responsibility service Mood reflective inspirational Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - journalism - personal crisis - spiritual reflection Key Concepts theodicy personal growth altruism Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take to alleviate suffering? - How do you balance faith with personal responsibility? A Different Perspective The anecdote may oversimplify complex theological issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Service to others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service-to-others/) [Strong faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-faith/) ## Related quotes > [A pessimist asked God for relief. Ah, you wish me to restore your hope and cheerfulness, said God. No, replied the petitioner, I wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-pessimist-asked-god-for-relief-ah-you-wish-me-to-restore-your-hope/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Someone Asked God - Who Is Ur Favorite Person? 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God replied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-asked-god-why-do-we-fall-in-relationship-with-some-one-when-we-know/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Someone ask god: If everything is already written in DESTINY then Why should we Wish for something God Replied: Because in few places I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/insane-insomniac/someone-ask-god-if-everything-is-already-written-in-destiny-then-why/) [Insane & Insomniac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/insane-insomniac/) > [“There was once a man who yearned to live forever. Beginning in his youth, he prayed for God to grant him immortality. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-was-once-a-man-who-yearned-to-live-forever-beginning-in-his/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“No man can deliver his brother, nor make agreement unto God for him,” I replied: “it cost more to redeem their souls—it cost the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/no-man-can-deliver-his-brother-nor-make-agreement-unto-god-for-him-i/) [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [They say, "God told me", or "God replied to me". And yet most of the time they are talking to themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-the-cross/they-say-god-told-me-or-god-replied-to-me-and-yet-most-of-the-time/) [John of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-the-cross/) > [I, who have been so many men in vain, want to be one man, myself alone. From out of a whirlwind the voice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-who-have-been-so-many-men-in-vain-want-to-be-one-man-myself-alone/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [Someone asked God,''who is your favourate person''? God replied, ''The one who has the power to take revenge but chooses to forgive''..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-asked-god-who-is-your-favourate-person-god-replied-the-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Mamaw often told a parable: A young man was sitting at home when a terrible rainstorm began. Within hours, the man’s house began to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/mamaw-often-told-a-parable-a-young-man-was-sitting-at-home-when-a/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“A young man was sitting at home when a terrible rainstorm began. Within hours, the man’s house began to flood, and someone came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/a-young-man-was-sitting-at-home-when-a-terrible-rainstorm-began/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) ## More by Lisa Ling > [When did an old white guy yelling at me, telling me what to think become news? What gives him the right to tell me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/when-did-an-old-white-guy-yelling-at-me-telling-me-what-to-think/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [I have a zillion bottles of hot sauce. I love Trader Joe's jalapeno. The whole right side of my fridge is filled with hot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/i-have-a-zillion-bottles-of-hot-sauce-i-love-trader-joe-s-jalapeno/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [Such a small percentage of our population carry the burden of knowing what's really going on in our country's name, and I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/such-a-small-percentage-of-our-population-carry-the-burden-of-knowing/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [I don't trust lawyers and journalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/i-don-t-trust-lawyers-and-journalists/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [My first job in TV was hosting this young teen magazine show, and all these high school teenagers showed up from all over Sacramento,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/my-first-job-in-tv-was-hosting-this-young-teen-magazine-show-and-all/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [I never run hills. My quads are already big enough. I don't run to build muscle; I do it for cardio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/i-never-run-hills-my-quads-are-already-big-enough-i-don-t-run-to/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [I had a planned C-section, and I cried the entire day before I had the baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/i-had-a-planned-c-section-and-i-cried-the-entire-day-before-i-had-the/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [We live in a culture where we're bombarded with so much noise and so much insecurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/we-live-in-a-culture-where-we-re-bombarded-with-so-much-noise-and-so/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [The best education I have ever received was through travel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/the-best-education-i-have-ever-received-was-through-travel/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [Make your relationship your number-one priority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/make-your-relationship-your-number-one-priority/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [I don't remember my first trip, but I do remember when my mom took me to Disney World in Orlando. It wasn't the rides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/i-don-t-remember-my-first-trip-but-i-do-remember-when-my-mom-took-me/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [I like crunchy things like Baked Lays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/i-like-crunchy-things-like-baked-lays/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [I fancy myself as being a fairly competent person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/i-fancy-myself-as-being-a-fairly-competent-person/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [Hospitality is one of the things the Afghan population is famous for, but nobody says that anymore. Now they're terrorists - and they're not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/hospitality-is-one-of-the-things-the-afghan-population-is-famous-for/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) > [We're doing a partial green nursery and trying as hard as we can to do as much organic stuff for our nursery as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ling/we-re-doing-a-partial-green-nursery-and-trying-as-hard-as-we-can-to/) [Lisa Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) [Explore all 62 Lisa Ling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ling/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) Matt Morris (1 > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) [Browse all 37,796 Faith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As a journalist, I have seen things that have scarred me. I have interacted with people who have haunted me. I have heard things that have pained me. As a result, I have long struggled with the notion of faith. I have said more times than I can count, \"If there is a God, how can he allow this to happen? 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