One of the things I came to learn over time as a pastor is that when you give people space, they will heal themselves. Some may do it quickly, while others may take a while. But it never fails: if people are provided a safe space and they desire wholeness, they will heal themselves.

The way I practiced this in a congregational setting was the gatherings were very loose. I never intentionally pressured people into being a certain way by a certain time. Each person was aware that they had all the time they needed or wanted to heal themselves, and that a safe space was being provided for them to do that with the mutually respectful support of others in the community.

It wasn’t long before I realized that this is actually not just useful for communities, but for the individual. Just like the community provides the individual with a safe space and plenty of grace to work towards their own wholeness, so does the individual provide him or herself with a safe space and plenty of grace to work towards his or her own wholeness.

This is really true: the more space you provide for yourself and the more grace you give yourself, if you want to, you will heal.

Sometimes, in our small groups, we would just sit for a couple of hours, very gently listening to each other, encouraging one another, loving one another. We intended to just “be” with each other without expectations, an agenda, a goal, or a purpose, except to be. Over time, healing happened.

I claim the same thing applies to each one of us with ourselves. If we could learn to just gently listen to ourselves, encourage ourselves, and love ourselves… if we could just “be” with ourselves without expectations, an agenda, a goal, or a purpose, except just to be with ourselves, over time healing happens.

I’m truly grateful for you TLSers who are so good at just being with each other.

Do you have any idea how much healing energy that produces?

Do you know the same thing works when you do it for yourself?

I hope so.

Much love,

David