I have a question for you. Have you found yourself with emotions that surprise you? Like your playing a game and suddenly you're really frustrated? Or you can't concentrate on things like you're used to? Or your brothers or sisters or parents get on your nerves really quick? Yes? No? I'm going to guess that the answer is yes and I want you to know that you are not alone. I am right there with you.
I got to have a Zoom meeting with some of my friends who are pastors. We usually meet at 10 am on Thursday every couple of months. We share what we've learned and afterwards we go to lunch. So since we could not meet in person we did the Zoom. It was so great to see everyone's face and to laugh and share what we were doing and how it was going and do something normal. But then the call ended and we were not all headed to each lunch. I realized that I was sad about not getting to do something that is relatively normal. That feeling that I was feeling - it's grief.
Too often we think that grief is only for when someone dies. We can also feel grief in times like this. So much of our life has been turned upside. First Harvey, then Imelda and now COVID-19. It's ok to feel whatever feelings you are feeling. But after we feel them we have to figure out what to do with the feelings. As the Pastor - my first response is to say - let's pray. But prayer is not always speaking words. Sometimes it is taking a walk. Sometimes it is sitting and drawing a picture. There are lots of ways to pray. God created the universe and gives us lots of ways to communicate with God - and prayer is not always using words!
Psalm 6 is a prayer for someone recovering from a serious illness. At the end it says: "The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord accepts my prayer." No matter how you pray - know that God hears you. And while we do not always hear an answer, know that you are loved.
Let us pray: God we love you and we know you love us. Hear our prayers and give us your peace. In Jesus name. Amen.
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