Hospital chaplaincy reinforced something I had already begun to learn: people in pain usually do not need us to repair the moment. They need us to stay.
We reach for advice because silence feels uncomfortable. We offer explanations because helplessness is hard. But grief, disappointment, and fear are not problems another person can solve with the right sentence.
Grace sometimes looks like listening without interrupting. It sounds like, “I am here,” rather than, “Here is what you should do.” Presence does not remove the pain, but it keeps someone from carrying it alone.
TODAY’S STEP: Check on someone facing a hard season. Listen before offering advice.
REFLECTION: Can you be present without needing to be the answer?
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