1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:11,119 Speaker 1: Jesus wept John eleven thirty five. Dear Heavenly Father, we 2 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:16,319 Speaker 1: come before you today, Lord, thankful that even in the 3 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: hardest moments of life we feel your presence. We thank 4 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: you for the promise of hope and comfort that comes 5 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: with your faithfulness. 6 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 2: Lord. 7 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: May we come to you with all the sorrows of 8 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: our hearts and know that you are a God who 9 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: can weep alongside us. We pray for the comforting embrace 10 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: of your presence, that we may feel you near and 11 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:52,879 Speaker 1: our grief and sorrows. We thank you for being a 12 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: God who understands our pain and is willing to heal it. 13 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: May your healing grace flow through us and cover us 14 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: with peace now and forevermore. In Jesus' name, Amen, Thank 15 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: you for joining me in prayer. Stay tuned for today's 16 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: free podcast Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you can 17 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: draw close to God and find strength in him. 18 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 2: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on healing grief. 19 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 2: To get the most out of your spiritual journey, use 20 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 2: pray dot com every day and make prayer priority in 21 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 2: your life. Our goal for today's meditative prayer again is 22 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 2: healing grief. Let's be honest. Grief can be overwhelming, but 23 00:01:56,080 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 2: do not be afraid. Today. Let's gather your courage to 24 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 2: step out and just to spend a moment with God 25 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 2: so close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and 26 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 2: then excel out and now taking captive every thought, shift 27 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 2: your focus unto God, for he is waiting for you. 28 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 2: We'll be meditating on John chapter eleven, verse thirty five 29 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 2: from the King James version, which reads two simple words, 30 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:37,919 Speaker 2: Jesus wept. Now take a moment just to pour out 31 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 2: your adoration to God who understands you. Jesus, I give 32 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 2: you praise for you understand my grief. You have intimate 33 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 2: knowledge of my sadness as you have felt it in 34 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 2: your own heart. God, I exalt you because you see 35 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 2: my pain and you care for me. God, I worship 36 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 2: you because although you are great, you never belittle my suffering. 37 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 2: Right now I praise you because you are the everlasting God. 38 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 2: Yet you know me. You do not think or grow weary. 39 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 2: Your love and your kindness towards me will never cease. 40 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 2: You see losses part and parcel of life. Accepting and 41 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 2: processing your grief is really part of the healing process. 42 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:44,119 Speaker 2: You don't have to pretend everything is all right when 43 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 2: it isn't. It's okay to grieve when you are grieving. 44 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 2: Jesus knew he would resurrect Lazarus, and still he wept, 45 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 2: even knowing he would see his friend again. He mourned 46 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 2: his loss. Through this action, Jesus taught the acknowledgment of emotion, 47 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 2: acceptance of allowing yourself to feel what you're going through. 48 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 2: It's okay to give yourself permission to grief. It's okay 49 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 2: to experience the emotions of the moment and to allow 50 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:29,480 Speaker 2: those emotions to pass through your heart. As Jesus felt emotion, 51 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 2: so can you. Perhaps you find yourself fighting your grief. 52 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 2: Jesus sees your pain and he knows your heart. So 53 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 2: turn to Christ and confess your grief to him. Share 54 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 2: with him your sorrow. Why because he understands you. Now 55 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,919 Speaker 2: to take just a few moments to dwell on the 56 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 2: understanding of God. Thank Jesus for teaching you that it's 57 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 2: okay to experience emotions, both the good and the bad. 58 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:16,719 Speaker 2: Thank God for acknowledging and understanding your feelings. Thank Him 59 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:23,039 Speaker 2: for establishing time for you to process and to heal. Now, 60 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 2: think of past situations where your heart was heavy with sorrow. 61 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:34,279 Speaker 2: Thank the Holy Spirit for being your comforter and for 62 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:40,280 Speaker 2: ministering to your weary soul. Thank God for caring for 63 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 2: you through your pain. My friends. God is present and 64 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 2: he's listening to you. Jesus sees and he understands your suffering. 65 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:58,919 Speaker 2: He's intimate with your pain. You do not have to 66 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 2: process this on your own, so ask Him to help 67 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:08,919 Speaker 2: you through this time of hurt and agony. Ask the 68 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 2: Holy Spirit for his assurance to be upon your heart. 69 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:17,919 Speaker 2: Ask him to help you accept your emotions and to 70 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 2: allow yourself to feel what you're feeling. Remember, Jesus wept, 71 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 2: so give yourself permission to grief. The Lord will comfort 72 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 2: your heart. Experiencing grief and acknowledging its existence is not 73 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:41,160 Speaker 2: a sin, and it does not make you weak. Everyone 74 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 2: grieves in a different way, no matter how you choose 75 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 2: to do so. Don't forget this truth. You're not alone. 76 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 2: Jesus sees you, and he will help you every step 77 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 2: on this road to healing. My friends, thank you for 78 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 2: completing today's meditative prayer on pray dot com. By incorporating 79 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 2: this healthy habit as a daily practice. You are making 80 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 2: prayer a priority in strengthening your walk with God. As always, 81 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 2: my name is Zach Clinton from the American Association of 82 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 2: Christian Counselors. We love being a part of your life.