As this week has gone on, I have realized that I have been carrying a lot of things around with me— some physical pain, some big emotions, and some thoughts that need a little extra room. I found myself saying “later” to all of these things, when what I think they really need is just a little bit of gentleness and space. I think that so often the fear is that if we give these things a little room, a little attention, they will swell to fill all the available space. But what I have often found is that by noticing them with care and attention, even for just a few minutes, sometimes they will ease and become gentler themselves.
Today, I am not going to offer you a lot of words. Instead, what I hope to offer you is exactly what I need myself— a little space. As you are reading this, maybe there is something making its presence known to you— a thought, an emotion, a sensation in your body. What if, just for the time it takes you to read this, you pay attention to that? Picture yourself turning to it and saying hello, like you would to a shy child you are just meeting. Offer whatever it is just a little bit of care, attention, and time.
I like to think of the story of Jesus asking that the children be allowed to come to him. Jesus so often says yes to the small and overlooked things, the stuff that people don’t have time or compassion for. What if Jesus is also welcoming our thoughts, emotions, and physical experiences in this way? What if Jesus is inviting us not to ignore these things, but instead to gently invite them into his presence, even if it is just for a little while?
How does it feel to make this space? Is it a relief? Does it feel like taking the lid off of something messy and complex? What if you don’t have to do anything about it quite yet, just feel what comes up for you as you sit? Remember that you can invite Jesus to sit with you, feeling this alongside of you. You are not alone in this space.
I recently described one of my prayer practices as “feeling all my feelings at God”. Sometimes I can’t even muster any words around it, I just become aware of what I’m feeling and invite God to see it with me. What does it feel like to invite Jesus to witness what you are experiencing right now? What does it feel like to give yourself just a little bit of space to attend to what you are feeling?
Wellspring 