Grief

Grief: noun – keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss; sharp sorrow; painful regret.

Life throws many twists and turns our way, often without warning.

It’s unlikely that you will meet an individual who has had a ‘straightforward’ life.

One of the events that life can present us is when we lose something…or someone.

This loss can cause many difficult emotions – anger, frustration or stress. But grief is a state that most commonly follows a loss.

As discussed in the debrief portion of the GRIEF video, time can play a huge part in our grieving. Sometimes we can feel as if we have no right to grieve the loss because we didn’t possess the thing we have lost for long enough.

This is not necessarily the case.

The level to which you attach yourself to the thing or person will often dictate the depth of grief you experience.The level to which you attach yourself to the thing or person will often dictate the depth of grief you experience.1 Peter 5:10 (NLT) says this:

‘So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.’

The comfort offered by this scripture is not that you will never experience suffering, but that in your suffering, you will be restored, supported, strengthened and placed back onto a firm foundation.

If you are struggling with grief today, please know that there is a Heavenly Father who longs to wrap His arms around you and comfort you wherever you are at.

Questions to consider

1. What, for you, is grief?
2. What are some things you’ve grieved in your life?
3. What role do you think time plays in grieving?
4. Can you conceive of God Himself comforting you in your suffering and grief?