Day 6: Finding Peace Through Acceptance

Hearts don’t just break. They also mend.

That’s why one of the most important steps toward closure is acceptance of loss — an emotional, mental, and even spiritual decision to make peace with our loss and to make the most of our future.

You may have heard of Job, the poor guy in the Bible who lost just about everything he valued in a matter of days.

Job is a fantastic model of acceptance because he was completely transparent with his suffering, but he was also able to release control to God. His acceptance was the natural result of recognizing God’s sovereignty. He knew where the line was between what he could control and fix, and what he couldn’t.

We don’t know how long Job’s suffering lasted. It was probably months, at least. Maybe years. But it did end. That’s one of the key points of the book. He persevered, he waited, he trusted. Simultaneously, he suffered, he complained, and he asked questions. Those things are not mutually exclusive.

Eventually God made it clear it was time to stop living in the past. He wanted Job to make peace with the present. That could only happen by taking on the peace of God, a peace that goes beyond human logic and understanding.

So how about you?

Where are you in the grief-acceptance process? Do you still find yourself fighting for something you need to let go of or holding on to something you can’t get back? Do you have voices whispering in your ear (like Job did) suggesting that your suffering is your fault? Or do you hear a voice from heaven reminding you that there is no vacancy for the job of ruler of the universe, and everybody needs to calm down just a little and let God be God?

No matter where you are, I’m not here to judge you, nor am I trying to rush you along.

Mostly, I just want to remind you that God is still good and he’s still in control. Keep going. Keep believing. Keep absorbing the peace of God. I truly believe that, like Job, you’re going to see the goodness and blessing of God again.