Part of being human is experiencing all kinds of things we might call suffering.
From day to day,
We may experience physical pain or discomfort or illness.
We may experience emotional pain,
Negative thoughts,
Or uncomfortable feelings.
All of these things are uninvited and remind us of our lack of control.
Some things come and go.
Others stay for a while.
In this meditation,
We're going to ask God's Spirit to help us reframe these uninvited guests,
Not to see them as enemies,
But as guests passing through.
Let's begin by just resting in our body.
The scriptures remind us that we are made from the dust and clay of the earth,
That God has breathed life into us.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath in.
God is breathing life into you.
And as you breathe out,
Settle into the here and now.
All that is,
Is the present moment.
Continue allowing God to breathe the vitality of life into you,
And then settle in.
Let your breathing return to normal.
As you continue to settle your body and sink into your seat,
Sense the love of God pouring upon your entire self.
God is gazing at you now with a deep love and affection.
That love is sustaining your body,
Your spirit,
Your mind.
You are existing now in that love.
Bring your awareness now to any uninvited guest.
It may be a negative thought,
A feeling of anxiety or stress or sorrow,
Or it may be a physical discomfort somewhere in your body.
Examine your mind,
Heart,
And body for any uninvited guest.
When you find it,
Get a sense of what it feels like,
Its texture,
Its intensity,
Its shape,
Its size.
Is it located somewhere in your body?
Now,
Imagine your body as a large house with many rooms and dwelling places.
Imagine this guest dwelling in a particular room.
This is where it has taken its place.
It is there.
Welcome this guest by saying,
Hello.
You're not asking it to leave.
You're not judging it.
You're just saying hello.
Quite often we allow the presence of these uninvited guests to stay below our consciousness.
We don't take the time to get to know them,
To acknowledge them,
To see them in all their detail.
At other times we over-identify with these guests.
But these guests,
These emotions or discomforts,
Are not us.
They are just guests.
Jesus calls us to welcome the stranger.
All are welcome in this house.
Take another few moments observing your visitor.
They're not an enemy,
But just spending some time here.
They do not have to control you or dictate anything about your identity.
You are a beloved child of God.
That's it.
No visitor or guest will change that.
The guest may have a lesson,
Or they may not.
You nonetheless welcome them with a simple hello.
We'll begin to conclude our meditation with Rumi's poem,
The Guest House.
Hear the invitation in these words.
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy,
A depression,
A meanness.
Some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all.
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture,
Still treat each guest honorably.
We may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought,
The shame,
The malice.
Meet them at the door laughing,
And invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
Because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
Speak now in these final moments with God or with Jesus about how you are feeling,
Or anything that is stirring within you.
