Dealing with Grief

          Grief is a very difficult thing to overcome for some people. When one loses a spouse, child, grandparent or even a close friend they are left with a deep void in their heart. The pain of that loss overcomes all other senses of the individual. It is likened unto a part of oneself has died with them. For me it puts in perspective of how God felt when Jesus died on the cross at Calvary. Though God knowing the overall outcome, He still went through His Son's suffering and dying physically.

          Heb 4:15 KJV - 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. Jesus, knowing what the Father can do concerning the resurrection, in His human state had such compassion and sense of loss concerning the death of Lazarus. [Jhn 11:32-36 KJV] 32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! Isaiah prophecies of one who was acquainted with sorrow and grief, Isaiah 53:3. It is a natural human trait for us to grieve when we suffer loss. Jesus himself groaned in the spirit and was troubled.

          We need to be very careful to not allow ourselves to grieve unto an unhealthy state of being. Each of us deal with grief differently, and the duration of grief will be different for each of us as well. Unhealthy grieving entails placing guilt upon oneself for one reason or another. Living in the past of hypotheticals as though they are going to change the outcome of tomorrow. We all want to change the past, but that is impossible. Paul understood that when he addressed the Philippians about forgetting what lies behind, and pressing on to the goal, Philippians 3:13, 14. We have truly lost a piece of our life, and that pain is very real. Dealing with it in a healthy way is important to the healing process. We need to look at what Paul was saying in Philippians 4:4-9 about rejoicing in the Lord, and by prayer and supplication let our request be made known unto God. By doing this, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

          Paul goes on to teach us to change our perspective on how we think about things, Philippians 4:8. Peter as well states that God has given us the necessary tools in His word that will help us deal with the things we face in this life, and prepare us for the next life. [2Pe 1:3-4 KJV] 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Let's shift our focus onto what our loved ones in Christ have gained. Those great and precious promises are now secured for those who have passed on from this life. As Luke 16 tells us that they are now in Paradise, in the bosom of Abraham, awaiting the coming of Christ to take us to the place in which He has prepared for us, John 14. Concerning the second coming of Christ, comfort one another with these words, 1 Thes 4:18.

Mike Parks
April 20, 2021
Hardin County Church of Christ