The Final Act of LoveSample

Denial: refusal to admit the truth or reality of something (such as a statement or charge)

When we experience loss, sometimes our initial reaction is shocking. We will often tell ourselves that this can’t be real. We sometimes even feel like we are dreaming. A mental numbness soon sweeps over us, and we find it hard to comprehend the information that was just given to us. We may cry, scream, or even sit quietly as our bodies try to process what our minds may refuse to accept. 

It’s interesting that in this phase all the scripture that we have learned and even quoted oftentimes is overtaken by the wave of pain that hits the shores of our hearts. I recently experienced multiple back-to-back losses and I was searching for just the right scripture to calm the disruption of my heart, but it seemed as if it was lost somewhere in the sea of disbelief and pain.  

If I’m honest it made me feel a little guilty because I felt that I should find some solace from the Word but then I was reminded of the response that Jesus had to see where they laid Lazarus. The shortest scripture in the Bible popped into my mind “Jesus wept”. Even with Jesus knew that He would raise Lazarus from the dead, his humanity still felt the sting of his death. 

God made us both human and spiritual beings and we must learn that honoring one portion of us does not dishonor the other. You can believe in God and all his power while simultaneously giving yourself permission to feel the pain that accompanies loss. The two are not mutually exclusive. Be free and feel.