Answers for Grief (part 2)

For everything, there is a season and a purpose under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to break down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance. Ecclesiastes 3:1-4


People do grieve in different ways and for different lengths of time. There is no one size fits all here. And we should never measure someone else's grieving by our own. So what can we do about it? How can we move past it?

The first thing we need to do is know that yes God does love us. He does care for us. He is love. The Bible speaks of grief. John 17:21, 2 Corthianians 12:21, Ephesians 4:30. Even Jesus himself grieved. Mark 3:5 and 14:33-36. We can find these scriptures and others a great relief and comfort when we are going through a time of our own grieving.

Things to think about:

1. Do not let anyone minimize it for you. If you have lost something, you are grieving because it was a great value to you.
2. Do not try to be strong  If you need to cry, then cry. It is beneficial for us to get it out.
3. Moving on with your life does not mean you suddenly stop loving or caring for someone you have lost. That person would not want to hold you back from living your life fully.
4. Do acknowledge your pain and that you are struggling with it. 
5. Understand that God knows and understands what you are going through.
6. Take care of your physical needs.
7. Get help if you need it! Through a trusted friend that will listen to you, a minister or with therapy
8. Finding a good biblical support group through a church is a great way to interact with people that are going through similar circumstances that you are can help. 
9. Go to God to let your pain and heartache out. He will not be surprised. He will not be hurt. He will not be angry. He will be there through his Holy Spirit to comfort you. 
10. And realize that there can be a rainbow after the rain. In time. In due season, it can come.

Realizing that it was sin that brought it into the world, and that God never intended that we should have to suffer from any kind of broken heart, we do know that where there is grief in the lives of someone that loves God and has accepted him through Jesus Christ, we have the assurance that he is right there with us. Grieving along with us.

 And for those that we have lost and are grieving for, we also have the assurance that we will see them one day and that is the joy that God gives us out of a time in our lives when we need it so badly. We all go through grief at some point in our lives. In some way and for some of us, in many ways. But our hope can get us past it if we let it. Not that we ever stop caring. Not that we ever stop loving. Not that we ever stop completely feeling sad or a loss. But God can get us past the heaviness and the burden of it so that we can go forward to live the life that he created us to live.

Thanks for coming again today Friends. Please come back tomorrow for the conclusion on the subject of grieving. God bless your day!