Words of Hope During COVID-19
Mary Lou Redding, an Upper Room Books author and the former editorial director of The Upper Room daily devotional guide, describes how spiritual practices have sustained her over the years. Going into the COVID-19 self-isolation, she thought that she would be fine—but one week in, she realized she was in trouble. Listen as she discusses the surprising companion she discovered.
Today’s Reflection
Tears are an important way for us to find release from the pain of our loss. Some people would advise us to give up our pain and get on with our lives. They believe the cure for grieving is just deciding that you are over it. My experience suggests that pain and sadness are not something we can choose to surrender so easily. Pain has to give up on us. Tears are a way of helping us rinse out our souls so that the sadness releases its grip on us.
—Dan Moseley, Lose, Love, Live: The Spiritual Gifts of Loss and Change (Upper Room Books, 2011)
Today’s Question
What tears do you need to release in order to find healing? Join the conversation.
Today’s Scripture
My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me continually,
“Where is your God?”
—Psalm 42:3 (NRSV)
Prayer for the Week
Loving God, gather us together and bring us comfort like a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.
Something More
This Mother’s Day, celebrate Mom by making a donation to The Upper Room in her honor or memory. Give today.
Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.
9 Comments
I don’t know…I don’t know that there will be tears tomorrow. As I think back over the year+ since mom has been gone – it has not been at all what I would have thought, when I considered it years ago. I feel so very strongly God’s presence and comfort with me. The hardest part all along has been watching dad grieve. His pain is my struggle. I don’t miss mom and I can’t believe I can even say that. But I miss her for dad. At times he seems lost in his loneliness and I know I can’t make it better. I can console him, but it only helps so much. I hope tomorrow isn’t difficult for him. There are times when I become overcome by his sorrow and I do weep – I weep for the part of him which is missing. And then God does fill in the place where those tears were and He strengthens me, again, to continue to walk beside dad on his path of grief.
Last night was the drive-by birthday wish for my god-daughter. 17 years old. So hard to believe. Her friends had done one an hour earlier, before family. She is such a social being – this sheltering in place has been very hard on her. It was good to see her smile last night.
Yes, Ally, we will continue to pray – for wisdom concerning your job, for David’s continued recovery and for his future homecoming.
Hello Jill, your comments about your sadness on behalf of and for your dad are very familiar to me. Know that you are not alone. Your words speak of deep love.
If men are reading the Bible why is it that men are expected not to cry? I think I read somewhere that tears in prayer show the sincerity of our faith. I don’t plan them, can’t predict them, or intentionally cause them, but they come, and at a variety of situations.
Thankful my transportation needs have a big boost, Have a nice replacement for my 330,000 mlle car.
Thank You, Lord!
Tears usually come easily for me- they are a release. Lately I haven’t been crying much- mainly I think because I feel the need to keep it together since my daughter has been back home from college and she takes up a lot of the emotional space here. I feel less able to “let down”. I know that God knows my heart and he knows my inner most fears, needs, desires and joys. I believe that He will continue to bless and protect us on this journey. Prayers this weekend for all mothers- for my mother especially who continues to isolate and protect herself at home- I thank God that at 84 she continues to take care of herself and maintain the family home. God bless her and keep her safe. God bless all mothers – April, it is so nice of you to remember your daughters on this day. I think of all of the mothers of young children and how the sheltering in is more difficult for them. Prayers for you and your daughter Andrea- you are a faithful helper and supporter of your family.
Continued prayers for teachers like you Jill and Rick as you help your students through this difficult time. Prayers for Julie and Robert and their families and thanksgiving for Robert’s new car. Prayers for Sara, Betsy, Gail, BJ, Marcy, Rusty, Chloe and Paige and all those who come to the UR. May God guide and protect us all during this stressful time.
Also special prayers for Ally and David as he recovers – prayers that they may be reunited soon and that support may be available to help the transition back home.
I cry from time to time, mostly when I feel overwhelmed. I, like Lou, must “Keep it together” most of the time, particularly around others. Sometimes the feeling cannot be kept and they release spontaneously.
Speaking of tears, h tried to use his “crocodile” tears yesterday to gain sympathy and my immediate compilation to his every directive. I have remained unmoved as I try to do his bidding as quickly as possible but any delay is unacceptable to him.
Prayers for jill and Larry tomorrow, may Larry be warmed by memories rather than haunted. Prayers for Jill’s god-daughter, may she be able to enjoy a face to face party soon.
Prayers for Robert, joining his prayers of thankfulness for God’s provision of a replacement vehicle.
Prayers for Lou and her daughter as they celebrate Mother’s Day together, may it be filled with warm moments.
Prayers for Ally and David, may God guide Ally’s decision regarding her job and may David grow strong, in his body and lungs and memory.
Prayers for April and her grown children as she gives of herself to them and thinks of them before herself still. A mother is a mother for life as children never outgrow their need for a mother’s love and care.
Prayers for Rick and his husband, may Rick learn well online and retain all the information.
Prayers and thank you and may all stay healthy dear UR
I have always cried easily. I’m easily moved to tears and can be overly sensitive. Get my feelings hurt easily. During David’s first 2 weeks in hospital, I cried numerous times a day, from despair, crying out to God in prayer, loneliness. Crying easily can be embarrassing, but sometimes the tears just come. As I am facing the first Mother’s Day without Mama, I try to remember our good times. Our relationship could be complicated. This was in part to her progressing dementia, for which she compensated well, so we did not recognize what was happening at first. She could say hurtful things. Now that I know it was often the dementia talking, the hurt is lessened. A year ago today, she entered hospice care. I know tears will come and I pray they bring healing.
Today I’m getting our house ready for David’s homecoming: re-arranging some things to make it easier for him to get around, as he will still be in a wheelchair and using a walker. Pray for continued progress in therapy. I appreciate and cherish your prayers so much. God is working!
Jill, I’ll be praying as you minister to your dad as he misses your mom. Lou and Julie, I lift you up as you care for your families. Robert, I’m glad to hear you now have better transportation! God is good all the time. I pray for all other concerns and that everyone has a good Sunday. Happy Mother’s Day to all the ladies who mother somebody.
Starting the day as Larry Peacock, setting aside time first thing in the morning to be with God, hearing the “Bless you” from another website, looking out to see the sun rising, hearing the water fountains, sipping coffee and connecting with this UR family…my kind of way to start the day!!
I have finished my book, “The Undoing”. On the last page, the author wrote that a book is a collection of decisions. Yes, I agree. And life, to me, is a collection of decisions also. I pray that I may make the best ones.
And here it is, Mother’s Day weekend. To be a warm time here and opportunity to walk and discover new life awakening from the soil. Also a weekend to reflect on Mothers. When I think of my mother, I smile and I have tears. We had many years together, some just she and I as my father passed during my high school years as my sister was away at college. I reflect back on all those mother-daughter times, and treasure them. I have an old sweater that was hers. I love to put it on and feel her hugging me as the tears flow with joy at having had her for my Mom.
Lou, thank you for your sweet comment. I feel a “kindred spirit” to you when you talk about your children and their lives. Ours had many similar ones, I had tears and prayed.
Julie, I see you mothering Megan as you relate and seek to understand her at all times.
Jill, I lift you up in prayer as you navigate through your emotions with your family. Your small groups sounds like they are wonderful supports for you.
Robert, I am reading a devotional book and the chapter last night had the Korean word, kihap. Ki refers to our internal energy. Hap is an intense concentration and focus. It is a loud yell used in Taekwondo. The author went on to relate that sounding a spiritual kihap means asserting ourselves powerfully and allowing space in our spiritual lives to alternate between spiritual intensity and spiritual rest as with the storms in our lives. I thought of you and your walk in life.
Ally, so glad to read you saw David and learned me about his recovery. I hold you and him in my prayers.
Andrea, I pray for God to be at the table with you (Mother and Grandmother) and your family during this stressful time of juggling childcare, working from home, and searching for work.
Wishing all families a Blessed Mother’s Day weekend.
What tears do I need to release in order to find healing? I can’t think of anything that I’m holding on to currently. I’m not afraid to cry and I have done my share of it, especially in early recovery. I can get emotional in moments of joy and sadness. I can say that crying feels good, when it happens, very much as Robert said.
Jill, you are such an amazing daughter and I can’t imagine what it is like for you walking beside your father through his grief. I pray for strength for you both tomorrow and that your God Daughter as these times of isolation are difficult for our youth. Robert grateful to hear that you have new, reliable transportation, God is good. Julie, I pray you and Megan have a chance to spend time together tomorrow and perhaps get out for a while. Lou, I pray you will have a Blessed Mother’s Day tomorrow. I also pray you are able to find time for self care. Ally, I pray that your first Mother’s Day without your Mom will will be one filled with the remembrance of beautiful memories, and that you feel God’s abundant love all around you. Keeping David in my prayers for continued recovery and rehabilitation, and I know that you will be guided on what to do with work. April, what precious memories you have of your Mother. I pray you will have a beautiful weekend as you are on your nature walks.
Holding you all in my thoughts and prayers.
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