Coping With Death & Grief as a BelieverSample

Although no one as close to me has died, I have not experienced grief the way I did with the loss of my mother. It was painful. It was gripping. It overwhelmed my mind, my body, and my entire world. It seemed more than I could bear. The only way I can accurately describe it is that my heart hurt, literally.

It’s been thirty years since the death of my mother. However, with so many people I know recently losing loved ones due to COVID-19 and other reasons, and then not being able to honor them as normal, it moved me to ask God what I could do to help others manage this process. My thoughts went back to my time of mourning over my mom. And with these unusual circumstances, how much more of a strain it must be to lose a loved one.

As a young lady, only twenty years old and an only child, I chose a casket for my mom. I decided what she would wear. I tended to every detail. What I learned about myself is that I was much stronger than I believed. But more importantly, I also learned that I absolutely could not make it in this life without God. Even when I distanced myself from everyone, wanting simply to be left alone, God was there. He ministered to me. I cried to God, and He heard and consoled me. I saw beautiful visions and I dreamed lovely dreams of my future that let me know I would make it. I would live on and I would experience life and joy again.

I encourage you that with God, you can make it too. When we are hurting, we tend to run away from God. We try to isolate ourselves. We don’t want to pick up the Bible. Sometimes, we don’t even want to talk to the Lord. But this is the very time when we need to run to Him. No matter how distraught or low you may feel, run to God because I promise you He is right there waiting to help you.