WE DON'T ALL GRIEVE THE SAME (Turning Mourning Into Dancing)

WE ALL DON'T GRIEVE THE SAME (Page 44)

        John 11:17, 21-26, 32-35, 38a; Genesis 23:1-3a (page 44)

When death or a significant loss enters your life, the first thing you experience is shock. You cannot believe that this could happen to you. Why would a loving God take your loved one? Why would three young children have to lose a parent? Where is the sense in this, you wonder? You have entered an unbelievable, unthinkable nightmare, something that can’t be happening. In this state of shock, you become confused and unemotional. The functions of your body and your mind slow down because you are unable to process the sudden stress and the reality of the situation.

Shock is a form of disbelief when reality is distorted for a short period. The numbness, too, is a short-term safety mechanism to protect you from becoming emotionally overloaded.

This safety mechanism is God’s grace at work, according to Mayfield. James L. Mayfield, author of Discovering Grace in Grief, points out that grace is a part of every stage of grief. The presence of grace is a reminder that God is not indifferent to human loss and stress. As you open yourself to God, you will discover that God is near, ready to strengthen and help you through any crisis, large or small.

The stages of grief are part of a natural process to help you move toward wellness, even in the midst of loss. Grace informs you that God is an active part of your history and all human history. God wants you to be whole. When God is at the center of your life, in both the good and bad times, you can know you have “a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24 NKJV).

God has unlimited resources and time to meet you at the point of your need. What are you waiting for? Turn to the One who loves you and desires your highest good. God has built into your DNA the potential to live an abundant life in His Son. God wants to journey with you through the grief process. Don’t stop and don’t give up. God’s grace empowers you to move from loss and pain to victory and wellness.

Disclaimer: People experience grief differently or not at all. Grief does not occur in a linear manner. People don't always begin the grieving process in the same way or at the same place. Love is a key factor in how a person might experience grief. Grief is a natural part of the growth and healing process.