You are worthy of love, and Jesus can carry all of your disappointments. It doesn’t feel like it sometimes because the world is a broken place, and its brokenness hurts us. We are broken too. But let us go back to the origin of love within us. When we remember how we are loved — in the past and now — we can more easily participate in the life of love, our life with God. This is the life we are meant to live.

Let’s begin by settling down in a space where your heart can be quieted, where it feels peaceful, kind and safe to you. Imagine you are the little bird being nestled under the wings of your Father, your Father who mothers you with care and attention, and protective love.

Take a deep breath. Inhaling slowly in for a count of four. Then exhaling slowly out for a count of four. Once more…inhale…..to the count of four……And exhale….to the count of four.

Place everything you are carrying on the ground. Then open your hands in your lap and close your eyes. Breathe deeply. Begin by consecrating your mind, your ideas, your emotions, your imagination to God:

Jesus, I consecrate my mind to you. I consecrate my ideas, my emotions and my imagination. I give you every concern now. (Name each one . . . ) I trust you. I love you. Let me hear your voice in my heart. Let me be with you now.

Take another deep breath. In…out….

Then spend a few minutes with the verses written below, allowing your heart to show you a picture of yourself under God’s wings:

“Like the eagle that stirs up its nest, and hovers over its young, God spreads wings to catch you, and carries you on pinions” (Deuteronomy 32: 11,12).
“Jesus: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!’” (Matthew 23:37)

Jot down in your journal how you feel being under God’s wings. Or just tell him, without writing it down, maybe even speaking the words to him out loud.

Under your wings, Lord, I feel . . .

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, please help me see what it is I carry deep inside me — what emotions and disappointments. Help me to be honest with myself…and with you now.

The emotions I carry most days are….

These are the disappointments I carry….

Jesus, how is my heart hurting? What does it need most right now?

My heart hurts because….

What I need most is….

How am I not trusting You, Lord? How do I doubt you?

I am not trusting you when….

I doubt you because….

Father, where do I go with my disappointments? What is my process for coping with them, feeling them and carrying them?

I cope with disappointment by….

When I feel disappointed I turn to….

I carry disappointment in me in the way that I….

Do I desire to heal? Where do I need healing, Lord?

I need healing here….

Jesus, show me your face. Help me learn how to be with you. Come into my heart — especially the places where I feel most alone, abandoned, afraid, disappointed, insecure and unworthy of love. In what ways, Lord, am I feeling unworthy of love? How has the world made me believe I am unworthy of love?

The ways I feel unworthy of love are….

Jesus, come into these hurt places in me now. Come and bring your healing. Come and bring your love.

Close your eyes and let Jesus into each disappointment, each moment, each hurt, each situation of sadness and pain…….

I love you, I trust you. I give you my heart, Lord.

Amen.