A Letter to the Lost Heart

 To the many people I love and listen to, who are all changing seasons, it's okay...

We all have seasons, beginnings and endings. We are brave and we are weak. We conquer one big section of life and do our duties, only to find it come to a surprising halt eventually. We weren't ready and we never figured it all out. We either end up feeling like we did our job well or we feel like a failure.

Therefore I have this ebbing question: where does the heart go? It always goes somewhere, but where? If we feel like a failure, I think this is along the lines of turning out the lamps of our hearts. We no longer do as much, nor let ourselves feel as much, and especially don't let another reach in and turn on even one light. Some people that feel like a failure are those who've had a major family crisis (or maybe several) and they feel that their effort in the crisis was utterly useless. Loved ones left their trust and never came back. Other people just simply cannot continue the role they have always performed, simply because it is no longer needed.

When some of our life roles end, what we really end up having to face is ourselves. Whether this is someone who is no longer working a certain job that utilized all their key skills, a loving girlfriend or boyfriend who's partner just dumped them, a parent who's kids have all left the nest, someone who's spouse has divorced them or died, or even a big sister or brother who's siblings never come to them for advice like they used to. I think in these situations, what the heart does first is grieve. Maybe even feel lost, and that's okay.

Just don't stay there. Realize that you still have purpose, it just might be a new purpose now. Reach deep and let the Maker of your heart show you your true identity. I am writing from places of my own lostness and have compassion on yours. Our identity is to be a Found people, and this helps us to not be lost after our season's ending.