In a season like this, when our community is in pain, I am so grateful we have someone like Deirdré to guide us as we make space to grieve. We talk a lot about tending to Christ’s presence in our lives, but we cannot bring our whole selves into the presence of Jesus if we are not first present to ourselves.
When we find ourselves in seasons of pain, our natural tendency is to run from being present to the swirling emotions. Which is exactly why pausing as we did last night to grieve is so important. Deirdré reminded us that Isaiah called Jesus “the man sorrows, acquainted with grief.” We can allow our hearts to fully feel our sadness and loss in the pain, she said, because we follow one who knows personally what we are experiencing.
Deirdré then led us so beautifully through a practice of grieving. She helped us identify our emotions, hold them in the presence of God, and experience God’s loving comfort.
Kingdom Practices
This week, let’s continue to stay present to ourselves. Grieving is not a one and done practice. In the coming weeks, we will undoubtedly feel our emotions percolating to the surface. Let’s commit ourselves to stay present when they do. You many even choose to come back to this podcast and make space to let Dré guide you in this practice once again.