The Grief That Points to Love
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“I will give them one heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.” — Ezekiel 11:19 (NRSV)
There’s a teaching Buddhist teacher, Joanna Macy, returned to again and again, one that feels especially vital in this moment of heartbreak and upheaval:
“Our pain for the world is simply one side of the coin, and the other side is our love for the world. They co-arise.”
So many of us are carrying quiet grief right now. We feel it in the headlines, in the conversations that break down, in the way we brace ourselves when another ruling drops, another politician capitulates, another wildfire burns, another child goes hungry.
Sometimes we fear this grief will overwhelm us, that if we really let it in, we will break. But Joanna’s wisdom reminds us: this pain is not weakness. It’s not pathology. It’s love, in its fiercest, most honest form.
We are not distressed because we are broken. We are distressed because we care. Somewhere deep within us, we know that this is not how the world is meant to be.
It hurts to see the earth plundered, because we remember what it feels like to walk in beauty.
It hurts to see people pushed to the margins, because we carry an ancient knowing that every person belongs.
It hurts to witness cruelty and indifference, because our souls are wired for compassion.
This ache is holy. It’s not something to push away or numb or “fix.” It is the heart’s natural response to a world out of balance. It is evidence that we have not given up, that we are still alive, that we have not forgotten how to love.
Let’s not turn away from that pain. Let’s follow it. Let it lead us back to what matters most. Let it break us open—not into despair, but into devotion.
When we let the pain speak, something incredible begins to happen. We remember that we are not alone. Our love is shared. Even in the face of immense suffering, we can still show up with open hands and steady hearts.
We don’t need to wait until the world is fixed to begin living differently. We can live as if every being matters—because they do. We can live as if tenderness is a form of strength—because it is. We can live as if love is the deepest truth of our existence—because it always has been.
If your heart feels heavy these days, know this: it is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of aliveness. That aliveness—however fragile, however weary—is what the world needs most.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
What pain are you carrying for the world right now? What love does it reveal?
When have you experienced your heartbreak as a doorway into deeper connection?
What would it mean to honor your grief as a form of devotion?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer for the Courage to Feel
Spirit of Love, You have made us with tender hearts— capable of great sorrow, capable of great joy. When the world breaks our hearts, give us the courage to feel it all: not as punishment, but as proof that we belong to one another. Let our grief teach us to love more fiercely. Let our ache for justice become a song of compassion. Let us never mistake numbness for wisdom, nor cynicism for strength. We pray not for the comfort of forgetfulness, but for the resilience to remember— and to keep showing up with open hearts. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Honoring the Ache
This week, choose one grief you’re carrying for the world. Name it clearly. Then, without trying to solve it or suppress it, spend 5–10 minutes each day simply sitting with it.
Place your hand on your heart. Breathe into the ache. Ask: What does this pain teach me about what I love?
Then, write one sentence each day that affirms that love—something you want to protect, preserve, or praise in this world. Let your heartbreak become a compass.
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Thanks, Cameron. Howard Thurman once said something similar to your conclusion: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
thank you, it is consoling to know that this pain is the ach of love and that it is holy