Grieving WellPrøve

Compared to other people, when you watch them in the midst of their own tragedy or you observe how they grieve,  you might think, “I don’t have enough faith.” Some of what goes on in this season of grief has to do with your theology, belief, understanding, knowledge and wisdom. But much also has to do with your personality. Depending on those things, you may weather the storm better or worse than others. 

So, how much does your own personality and experience have to do with your ability to handle grief well?

Maybe it’s a combination of things. People have different emotions. They react differently to different circumstances. God has made some more emotionally sensitive to tragedy and hardship, and that might mean they grieve harder and longer than others. Others might bounce back from the grieving process quicker, either because they are more driven or stoic. The point is that God made each of us different, and it’s natural to assume that some will find the grieving process more arduous than others.

But remember what faith is. It’s not a feeling. Faith is demonstrated in your movement (James 2:17). Most people have more faith than they think they have, but their emotions cloud whether it’s faith or not. So, don’t mix the two because sometimes they are together and sometimes they’re not. Sometimes you have to trust God in the dark. It’s pitch black, and you have to do like Paul and Silas did. You have to praise Him at midnight when you’re in the chains of your pain. One way to exercise faith is to praise Him in the midst of your pain. You may not feel like praising Him and your praise doesn't have to come with smiles and happiness, but you can will yourself to praise God by affirming His control, wisdom and power even in the midst of loss. 

PRAYER: Lord, seeking You is not easy when I am in pain. All I want to do is crawl up into a ball and give up on life. So, I need You more than ever; I need Your comfort. I need Your insight, so that I might make more sense out of this dark place in which I find myself. Send your Spirit as a comforter, and allow me to handle the pain as one who is a child of the kingdom of God. In Christ's name, amen.