Waiting and resting is hard.
In the Hebrew Bible one of the words that is used for Mercy is “Rachamim,” which comes from the root word “rechem,” or womb.
I love this word connection. The womb is a place of darkness, a place of formation, a place in which we really know nothing but are simply being held and suspended as we wait for birth.
So many times in life, we have no idea what to do, we are in the dark, suspended, without form and void. These are times when we feel lost, helpless, and out of control. It is often at these times that we feel compelled to cry out to god, or to something, asking for guidance, illumination or rebirth. It’s as though god, or the universe, or whatever you call it, has opened up a space for us – a dark space to be sure – but a space all the same. So often, it’s in these spaces that we are created. My darkest times are the times in which the most creative things occurred for me. They are the times in which I was reborn.
As we wait in these dark spaces for illumination or rebirth, we are in the space, the “womb” of mercy. All we can do simply float along as we are being held and suspended -- as we wait for the birth of what’s next. Here we are helpless, and are able to simply receive mercy because we have nothing else to bring to the situation. We are without resources. We are poor in spirit. We have thrown our hands up in despair. There is nothing we can do but wait. Waiting and resting is hard.
Blog image is: "Black Womb" by Piotr Ruszkowski. "
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