Wednesday, March 3, 2021
They will have no fear of
bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Psalm 112:7.
A Different Kind of Grief
We usually associate grief with death, but there are many things in this life that cause us to grieve that are not related to death of a loved one or friend. Grieving is a part of life, partly because life involves change. Sometimes change is good, but sometimes change is not our plan and out of our control, which makes the feelings of loss stronger and harder to process. With every change, there is loss, even when change is good. God has a plan for every season of our lives, and we can trust that everything works together for our good.
Some other losses in life that cause us to grieve:
Loss of Vision
Loss of Dreams
Loss of Hope
Loss of Normal
Loss of Integrity
Loss of Unity
Loss of Time
Loss of Relationships
Seasons – We sometimes mourn the passing of a season in our lives. When I took my youngest child to school on the last day of his last year in elementary school it made me very sad. I realized I wouldn’t be back for any more elementary programs, parties, lunches, etc.… It is bittersweet but the passing of moments that we know will never come around again can bring grief. The later years can also bring grief and loneliness if we have lost our spouse and our children are busy with their own lives.
Watching a loved one suffer and decline for years – When we have a loved one who has a debilitating disease and suffers, we grieve with them and for them. We grieve the deterioration of their bodies and lives. We grieve what once was, what could have been, and what will never be again.
Loss of dreams, visions, and hope are big losses that many of us suffer
daily. We may realize that our dreams will never come true, and our visions won’t
come to fruition. We lose hope in the loss of dreams and visions.
Sometimes it is about our own life, and sometimes it is about our children or
another loved one. We want so much for them to have the very best in their
lives.
The key to walking through grief for any reason is that we have to be able to give it to God and trust
Him. If what we dreamed and hoped for is not His plan, then we don’t want it in
our lives. That is a very hard realization to come to for most of us. Our Heavenly
Father loves us and cares about our hurting hearts. He cares about our dreams
and hopes, our loved ones, and little things we care about. We can know that
through all the changes and loss in life, He is in control. He is never
surprised by change and loss - or anything. He understands our grief and wants to be right by
our side every step of the way.
Are you grieving a loss in your life? Maybe you are grieving
multiple losses? I want to encourage you to remember that God sees you. He
hears your cries, and He cares about your hurting heart. Every loss is
important. It is okay to feel upside down in the face of any loss, but it is important not to stay there. Put it in
His hands and let Him help you through this time. Please feel free to call the
church (817-599-8612) as well if you are ever in need of help in dealing with any kind of loss
in your life.
