These past several months have probably allowed us all to experience a wide range of emotions. If I’m honest, I often don’t really pay as much attention to what I’m feeling or even more importantly, how I can learn from these feelings or emotions.
Jamie Winship talks about how our emotions, especially negative ones, are a natural chance to take a timeout and go to God to ask HIM what it is we need to know about the situation. In theory, this is great, but in practicality, I’ve found this often challenging.
The past month or so, I’ve been made aware of something that is simple, yet profound. The Welcoming Prayer reminds me to pay attention to my emotions, and it prepares me to welcome whatever comes my way. It is a reminder to tune into my emotions, good, bad or other, to be an avenue to connect to our Good Father in a more meaningful and authentic way. It also has reminded me where I tend to try to grasp for control (which is an illusion anyway), and where I have a tendency to live into a false self or believe lies.
I’d encourage anyone to spend a couple minutes over the next week or two diving into it and see how God might be able to remind you how good you are, and how good He is, regardless of what emotions we feel.
Welcoming Prayer
By Father Thomas Keating
Welcome, welcome, welcome. I welcome everything that comes to me today because I know it’s for my healing. I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons, situations, and conditions. I let go of my desire for power and control. I let go of my desire for affection, esteem, approval and pleasure. I let go of my desire for survival and security. I let go of my desire to change any situation, condition, person or myself. I open to the love and presence of God and God’s action within. Amen.
-Matt Tuttle