How do we “heal” faith? When there is emptiness in our hearts, it usually means that no “faith”( or life) is there either! A desert. Not “green” as in life and energy, but the opposite.
No faith implies that our faith is broken, damaged, burned out, or been “squashed” or never explored or not developed either by our own doing or by some tragedy in our lives or the lives of others. It has “died”…usually along with something or someone else. A friend. A family member. A Pet. A divorce. A breakup. Unexplainable. Unforgivable. A huge void. How could a loving God allow this to happen? This is not being “blessed” by God as some people promise! This is not where “God is good all the time!” God must be the opposite of what we had previously thought.
I have no answer as to “why” except that our understanding of and faith in God and Christ change, and that Bad Things Do Happen To Good People. But I do sincerely believe that Jesus Christ (or if you are best able to imagine God or the Holy Spirit) weeps and stands with us in the midst of the life-changing events. This is a mystery. One in which we have to be involved in order to help work out the puzzle for the benefit for healing our hearts and our faith. Some would talk about food for the spirit, to nurture it and help heal it.
From my own journey I can offer a few tips:
- Give yourself permission to vent or “get angry” with God! The Psalms are full of this!
- Do something positive in your life, whether that is creating plans for something new, restoring something old, or reinventing yourself in some way.
- Purchase a simple book on blessings or prayers and begin to read one at mealtimes, even when you do not feel like praying at all! It is the rhythm of the ritual that is important.
- Bake cookies, write, paint, decorate, garden, exercise, play, dance, start a sports activity, sing, learn something new. Take on new or refresh creative and healing rhythms. These can become like “muscle memory” and will remember for you what it once felt like to enjoy life or bring out your inner child. Or the “new child” that is is your dreams!
- Practice hospitality. Think “Friends”….seeking, entertaining, and sustaining friendships of all ages for your future.
- Let God and the Holy Spirit work within this deep inner space.
- Pay attention to unexpected events that happen in your life and let your dreams (goals and night-time variety) use these as a springboard to new adventures!
- Seek and invite color, light, music, and good smells to come into your home and heart. Read poetry. Allow yourself to “dream” in color! Green means life and growth and energy. Recharge!
(c) 2012. Revised 2018. Janine C. Hagan. Spiritual Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.