Word for the day “Grief is process.”
Lamentations (KJV) 3:21 This I recall to my mind; Therefore, I have hope. 22 Through the Lord’s mercies, we are not consumed Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”
Dear Leaders,
I’m always grateful to write these daily messages, but today's devotion is even more personal for me. Today’s message about grief has a special place in my heart. Leaders and people all must live through the grief of loved ones, whether it be through death or the dissolution of relationships. I trust value will be added to your life through one of life’s challenging events, which we know as “Grief.”
WE MUST EMBRACE GRIEF'S PROCESS SO WE CAN FIND HOPE FOR OUR FUTURE.
Grief is the process that helps you release your pain and trepidation to the Lord. In your grief, you come to terms with your past, and you find a release to live in the reality of the present. In fact, on the other side of grief, you can find hope for the future. Although this is easier said than done, it is a viable option for handling our life’s most precious moments. Although the process of grief is life-changing, if you don’t give yourself permission to grieve, you’re likely to cause greater emotional and spiritual harm to your life and future.
Please consider the prophet and leader Jeremiah and how he shared his grief, pain, and tears with the Lord. Jeremiah lived with God’s people and pleaded with them to return to God. But the prophet’s warnings and alerts fell on deaf ears, and his heart was significantly broken. In fact, it was in his grief that the prophet wrote the words of today’s passage in the Old Testament book, Lamentations. When you read it, you’ll read how Jeremiah shared the intimate details of his broken heart and grief with the Lord. He weeps openly and passionately, releasing his emotions to God. It’s a powerful illustration for us to embrace when confronted with our time to mourn and grieve.
THE PROCESS OF GRIEF IS ESSENTIAL AND CAN VARY FROM PERSON TO PERSON.
Many people think of grief as a single instance or short time of pain or sadness in response to a loss, as the tears shed at a loved one’s funeral. But grieving includes the entire emotional process of coping with a loss, and it can last a long time. Typically, grieving allows us to let a loved one go and keep on living healthily. Grieving involves many different emotions, actions, and expressions, all of which help the person to come to terms with the loss of a loved one.
But keep in mind that grief doesn’t look the same for everyone. Please be advised that every loss is different. Grieving is painful, and it’s important that those who have suffered a loss be allowed to express their grief and be supported throughout the process. Each person grieves differently. The length and intensity of the emotions people go through can vary from person to person.
THE LORD CAN HANDLE OUR TIME OF GRIEF AND WILL EMPOWER YOU FOR THE FUTURE.
The Old Testament book of Lamentations will not provide an easy answer for the suffering you’ll experience in the process of grief. Please read it for yourself, but you’ll discover that it’s all right to be real, angry, disappointed with life, and concerned about what tomorrow holds for you.
God accepted Jeremiah as being angry, tired, and discouraged, and he will accept you as well. Just as God honored the tears of Jeremiah, the Lord will honor and heal you if you share your pain and sorrow with Him. It’s likely to be the first step to bring healing for the present and hope for the future concurrently.
POINT TO PONDER
The process of grief is a real and necessary part of life. It’s common for grief to take a year or even years to resolve the emotional and life changes that come with the death of a loved one. The pain may become less intense, but it’s normal to feel emotionally involved with the deceased for many years.
In time, the person should be able to reclaim the emotional and spiritual empowerment invested in the relationship with the deceased and apply it to other relationships. If anyone reading this message is in a season of grief, please know that we are praying for and thinking of you here at Grace and Truth leadership. We just wanted to affirm some and remind others that the Lord is faithful!
Special Thanks,
Chief Encouragement Officer (CEO) James Baker, Jr., and our leadership team are incredibly thankful to those aligned with us. Help us equip this generation of leaders for their God-given assignments. Your generous donation supports our labor of love, From Grace and Truth Leadership's mission to embrace, empower, and encourage leaders and emerging leaders globally.