We have permission to grieve, the past year, for all of the things we lost. Time with family and friends, warm hugs and the sparkle in a friend’s eye when she sees you for the first time in almost a year. Laughing over a meal, feeling that joy and connection that you can only obtain when in the presence of someone you truly love.
We have permission to grieve the loss of a relationship, which could not traverse the chasm of political and social disparity. The time spent in deep conversation about hopes and dreams for the future, for the love of our Savior and spreading love and the message on our hearts.
We have permission to grieve and stand in solidarity with our African American and Asian American friends who have had a lifetime of violence and deleterious exploits this year. We can weep with them, listen to their grief, and put an arm around them in love.
God gave us emotions as a beautiful gift, to experience joys and love but with that comes sadness and sorrow. We have permission to feel and hold both at the same time.
Jesus wept for his friends Lazarus and his sister Mary. You have permission by our creator to feel those feelings of grief and cry, knowing He is there with you weeping, and He gives us hope that there will be joy again soon.
When Jesus saw her weeping, …he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” Jesus wept. John 11:33-35
Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5
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Amen & Amen!
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“God gave us emotions as a beautiful gift, to experience joys and love but with that comes sadness and sorrow. We have permission to feel and hold both at the same time.”
So beautiful! I’ve been on a similar path of learning to give myself permission to feel the full weight of my emotions, because God gives us permission to bring it all to Him. Amen, friend!!
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Thank you for your kind words Celia! It is so hard when you are in the thick of it to feel those emotions and bring them before God. Praying for you friend.
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It has been a challenge to genuinely grieve – not simply regret, criticize or bemoan – all that was not (is not) because of 2020. We do need permission to grieve.
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I agree it has been difficult and I am still wading through the emotions. Thank you for stopping by; have a blessed week!
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