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“…he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
Scientists and art therapists have found that taking part in visual arts such as drawing or painting can help you process grief, enabling you to come to terms with your loss and coax out those emotions within you. Expressing yourself through art can help soothe the soul, especially when it’s difficult to find the right words.
Hand work can also help you escape day-to-day concerns because you are absorbed in making something meaningful. Psychologists call this entering a “state of flow.” You might compare it to meditating or entering a deeply prayerful state.
Our Creator God delights in people using their creativity, resourcefulness, and talents. Consider the woman in Proverbs 31, who harnesses her skills to plant vineyards and sew clothes for her household. She finds joy in the work of her hands. Engaging in a creative project may help you to make sense of your sorrow and draw closer to God.
This message is excerpted from “How creativity can help you move through grief” by Kat Davies in the January 25, 2021, blog of the Women of the ELCA.