One of the most isolating experiences is the sensation of holding back tears. Why do we do it so often? It can be so difficult to open up to one another about our real and present struggles, especially when we can’t even admit to ourselves that we are struggling in the first place. It can feel shameful to be imperfect, to recognize that you can’t always heal yourself. 

In that same vein, once we finally relinquish our emotional barriers and let it out, the cathartic relief that comes as a result is an incomparable feeling of coming back home, back to the center of oneself. By accepting our honest emotions and freely expressing the worries that plague our hearts, we give them to God. He takes our worries into his hands without judgement and gifts us clarity and comfort in the face of uncertainty. 

God knows the true colors of our inner self, and it is only in vain that we try to mask how we feel to Him. By being honest with ourselves and with God, we lift up our hearts to be held.

Dear God, please help us recognize our struggles not as shortcomings, but as opportunities to find comfort and healing in you. Guide us in accepting our true colors and to help others do the same. Amen.

Delilah Schuster, Music Education, 2021
LCM Intern

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Matthew 5:4