You are a steward of all you are and have,
your riches, your gifts, your abilities.
It matters what you do with them.
You are also a steward of your needs, your wounds.
You are a steward of your pain.
What will you do with it?
Many people are poor stewards of their pain:
they feel hurt or fear, and they don’t know what to do with it.
They turn it into anger, resentment, blame and violence.
They make others bear their pain.
Others have pain as well—even deeper pain,
the agony of abuse, or generations of oppression—
and they turn it into compassion.
They let it fuel their work for justice and healing.
Your pain is part of your story, part of who you are.
Steward your pain well.
Let Jesus help you carry it, and see where it goes.
Turn your suffering into love.
That’s what it means to take up your cross.
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
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