Reflect
Grief is hardly a pleasant or welcome emotional state, and yet, if we’re blessed to live long enough, all of us have to face it at different times in our lives. And it’s not an experience that simply concludes when we want it to. Truly, grief does not have an “end,” but if we lean into our faith and place our trust in God’s often mysterious plans for us, our sorrow takes on deeper meaning. As we evolve spiritually, so does our understanding of loss. Whether you’ve lost a spouse, parent, sibling, or a pet, the seemingly bottomless pit of sadness is actually a reflection of God’s love shared in meaningful relationships. May you be heartened by this prayer for healing following a painful loss.
Pray
God of mercy and consolation,
Your gift of life includes the reality of death,
But we trust in our hearts
that there is something more than meets the eye here.
When rational thinking meets an inscrutable mystery,
we may be dismayed at our inability to know with certainty
what is essentially unknowable.
At this critical juncture, your light shines through.
It is a salve to our sorrow, an audacious promise.
May we relinquish our stubborn need to control everything,
and place our hope in you to provide, as you always do.
Amen.
Act
Difficult as it may be, think of a loss you’ve experienced that makes your heart ache. The pain that you feel—whether dull or sharp—is reminder of the love that made that relationship meaningful. Like a torch that lights the way ahead, carry that love with you and share it with the people in your world today.
