A Reflection From My Heart
The new direction in my life has brought about a transformation in me that has awakened my soul to the Holy Spirit. As I stumbled through life, being swallowed up by indulgences and weakness, I wasn’t sure that God was there with me, so I chose to shut him out rather than allow myself to feel his presence. Then, one frightening day, when my body was sick and life felt hopeless and my path seemed to simply wander with no purpose, the Holy Spirt came to me and this time, I opened my eyes and embraced all the love and grace that surrounded me, and I began to heal.
God has blessed me, made me physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy and that was before I read Peter Scazzero’s book. After reading his book I realized that I am not alone on my faith journey and that through God and my faith I will strengthen myself for service in his Kingdom. Daily I make a conscious effort to deepen my faith and break open scripture by spending time with God.
Recently while sitting with a friend having coffee, I was made aware of a book called Holding Space by Heather Plett. As I continue to grow in my new roll as a Recovery Coach, I thought that this would be great additional knowledge for me. I quickly learned, in the past, how much I was “hijacking space” trying to fix, mold, judge, and direct people.
Holding Space is walking alongside someone as they journey, without trying to fix them. It is being present with an open heart and being non-judgmental. This is something that we are all called to do throughout life. At times it could be as simple as a phone call, and other times journeying through darkness with them.
Mathew 7:1-5 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
When we listen to people and hear their story, it is an opportunity for Love and Grace. In the Book of Job, Job experiences the loss of his 7 sons and 3 daughters, his flock, and his health as well as being ostracized by the community.
While grieving and struggling to understand, three of his companions Eliphaz, Bildad and Shuhah come to comfort him and failed him by refusing to listen but instead lecturing and judging him. This caused him to feel misunderstood, criticized and judged.
If Job’s companions would have held space for him, listened, not judged, and walked alongside him he would have felt the comfort and support for his healing. I have been Job and been his companions, as I am sure we all have been. Listening is a simple act of LOVE.
It is important to tell our stories. But it is also important that others care enough to listen to them, and hold them gently, respectfully, and compassionately.
I truly believe we are called to listen to one another, and that God listens to us and through us to others. As the song by Big Daddy Weave says “Oh to tell you my story, is to tell of Him”