Lessons: Psalm 55; Isaiah 10:20-27; Jude 17-25; Luke 3:1-9
Learning from Our Losses
I have always been an admirer of the writings of Henri Nouwen. Recently, as I was working on issues in my own life, I came upon this insightful quote taken from Nouwen’s book, Finding My Way Home. My hope is that these words will assist you on your journey as they have in mine. Nouwen writes:
“Your losses remind you that all isn’t perfect, that you had hoped many events in your life would not have been so painful, but they were. You find yourself disillusioned with the irrevocable personal losses; your health, your spouse, your lover, your job, your hope, your dream.
“Your whole life is filled with losses, endless losses. And every time there are losses there are choices to be made. You choose to live your losses as passages to anger, blame, hatred, depression, and resentment, or you choose to let these losses be passages to something new, something wider, something deeper. The question is not how to avoid loss and make it not happen, but how to choose it as a passage, as an exodus to greater life and freedom.”
There is much wisdom in those words!
Be with me, Lord, in every moment of this day and in every place so that I may recognize and respond to your call to go to the broken, the lonely and the needy proclaiming the Kingdom of God. AMEN.
Advent Action Step: Take a moment today and read Luke 1:39-56 in preparation for morning worship at your local church. It is a wonderful story filled with hope and joy of two expectant mothers.
Love One Another – Brian
Thank you very much, Brian, for this realistic passage from Henri Nouwen and for your prayer that follows. To be able to turn from processing your own loss to minister to others processing their losses is a mark of the Way. Jeff
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