Grief & The Christian

Grief is part of life.

Grief is disruptive and never asks permission.

Grief is an indication that we have lost something meaningful.

Grief reveals our weakness and our need for a solid Rock.

Grief indicates that we have feeling, not that we are bad Christians.

Many times the loss will never be made whole again, so we must find a path forward.

There is no right way to grieve, but there are wrong ways to grieve.

We always look for a refuge when life is beyond our ability to manage.

Wrong ways: Isolation, self-medication, chasing comfort, distraction, bitterness

“Waiting it out” is not a strategy for grief or growth.

If grief is handled biblically, it will result in the maturity of my faith, development of inner strength and a greater dependence upon my Father.

What is comfortable in your pain is not always what is best.

You need relationships.

You need connection.

You need your church family.

“Human contact, in which we speak our anxieties to a kind and compassionate person, is near the top of the list of most helpful treatments. These human conversations are so helpful because they imitate the even more important conversation with the Lord.”, Ed Welch

Our loss and the grieving process is part of our spiritual growth.

Our hurt should drive us to God.

Our loss and the grieving process works for God’s glory and our good.

There is meaning in my suffering.

We will never find comfort in making sense of our loss.

There is no satisfactory answer for the question “Why?”

Knowing that there is a purpose in my pain makes it meaningful.

One day God might allow us to zoom out and see a bigger picture.

There is a difference in comfort and relief. God doesn’t always give relief, but He always gives comfort.

He doesn’t comfort us from a distance, but indwells us with the Comforter.

Focus on what is true, not what feels true.

The Holy Spirit works through hope and truth, the enemy uses lies and doubt.

How to Heal

Cry out to God aloud.

Megadose on the Word, especially the Psalms.

Find meaningful connection with others.

Prioritize your self-care. (Sleep, sunlight, exercise, good food, hygiene)

Make one 3x5 card per week with a Bible verse that you can lean on.

Find rest in God’s sovereignty and his goodness.

“There is no attribute of God more comforting to His children than that of divine sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe trials, they believe that sovereignty has ordained their afflictions, that sovereignty overrules them, and that sovereignty will sanctify them all.”, Charles Spurgeon

Find another person to serve or bless.

Take it one day at a time.

Reject despair. Giving up is not an option.

Grief is a journey, it isn’t the destination.