One of the benefits to meditation and prayer is that we can spend time tuning into our heart, where Jesus lives. We can learn to dwell and direct this love, kindness and compassion towards ourselves. Life consistently challenges us with loss, grief, sadness and change.
We can learn how to move from the dark and heavy places in our body and soul to the light of the heart. We then surrender to God’s Spirit and are transformed. The heaviness is lifted, the light slowly enters and if we listen we can hear His voice guiding us on, moving us forward.
Our grief and sadness returns us to ourselves and reminds us what is most important in our lives. In these times, we need to turn back to the most important thing which is our relationship with God, and His Spirit comforts us.
To be still and know God is to be still and know love. God is love. God dwells within. Love dwells within. Loss, grief, sadness and change seek wholeness and completion. We are transformed towards wholeness when we connect to the love of God in our heart. We have union. He brings light to the heaviness and darkness of any situation. This cycle brings completion to the situation and we are sanctified into a more mature and spiritual person.
Billy Graham said, “Love is the medicine for the sickness of the world.” Of course, he means the love that we get from God and the love we are then able to give away. The energy of self-compassion moves aside some of the energy of suffering allowing a letting go of the situation. A type of reverent love towards oneself helps to complete the process and return one to wholeness.
Charlie Brown used to always say, “good grief!” I believe he had a point. It is important not to look at grief as bad. With grief we understand what is most important to us. We wouldn’t be sad if it wasn’t something dear to our heart. Our grief identifies the things that make our heart joyful. When we lose the thing that brought or brings us joy, happiness or love we are naturally sad.
One practical solution is ask your heart what it is that you feel you’ve lost. Is it a relationship, a certain time period, a dream, a hope? Then actively pursue bringing something similar into your life.
There’s a certain amount of “light” or energy that flows toward the things you love. When that thing is taken away, lost or not flowing love back to you, there’s a reaction. Where does that energy flowing toward something or someone go? It can be directed back to you as self-love and self-compassion.
Tonyah Dee has studied the Bible and wisdom traditions of the world for the last 30 years and teaches about finding ways to increase inner strength, stability, and confidence through practicing spiritual disciplines and healthy habits daily. Tonyah is a nutritionist, registered dietitian (R.D.), and earned her B.S. from Loma Linda University. She also holds certifications in Christ-centered life coaching, equine therapy, and meditation. Tonyah has been published in Scary Mommy, MSN, The Mighty, Mantra Wellness, CoveyClub, Thrive Global. Follow Tonyah on her blog, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Medium.