The Road Less Traveled - a Lent Journey for TeensSample

Why Mourn?

Do you sometimes feel you don’t have the time to sit and cry over something sad? I have to go on with my life, right? Wrong. We need to give our bodies and souls the time to cry and deal with these types of experiences.

The things that happen to us invite us to stand still, reflect, take it in, and feel it. Our souls suffer when we move on as if nothing has happened. Our painful experiences then play on an endless loop of unresolved feelings and images.

The reality is if we cannot feel bad, we will eventually be unable to feel good too. The part in our brains responsible for the good feelings is the same part responsible for the bad ones. If you shut down your brain, you are basically a zombie. Jesus did not invite you into a better life of being a zombie. He wants you to feel, to experience all that He has for you.

Exercise:

Think back to where you felt deep pain and loss. What have you not shared with God? What should I give my attention and time to?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, I ask for the grace of tears to weep over my losses.