Regaining Our Balance

Regaining Our Balance
I Thessalonians 4:13-18

The passing of a loved one is always a traumatic experience.  It doesn't take long to learn that the major part of working through the grief experience is private and personal.  When we are blindsided by a loss in life, how can we regain our balance?

The goal of Griefshare is to lead people to “The new normal.”

To display a balance that has not happened means you are stuck in grief.

I. Recognize that Responses to Loss Vary Individually.

There are no such things as identical losses.

We will grieve as deeply as we love.

To choose to love is to choose to grieve.

Response to loss is also dependent on the total circumstances of our lives.

II. Recognize the Importance of Grief

Grief is a normal response to the loss of any significant person, object, or opportunity.

Grief is the one pain that heals all others, the most important of all pain.

Grief is how God reboots the computers of our lives.

Many professionals describe grief as a tangled ball of emotions.

Grief is necessary. It is a prerequisite to healing.

Grief is a process not governed by limits of time or emotion.  

III. Recognize the Power of a Godly Perspective. Psalm 116:15

We hold these promises:

         1.   An Eternal Body - II Corinthians 5:1

         2.   An Eternal Home - John 14:1-3

         3.   A Condition of "Blessedness" - Revelation 14:13

IV. Recognize that God is Leading Us Through The Valley.  Psalm 23

A.    God's promise is His presence with us as we move through the valley.

B.    Relationships are key to experiencing the healing.

              1.     Get into the Word of God

              2.     Get into the Presence of God

              3.     Get into the People of God