Dealing with Grief
Every one of us has to deal with grief at some point in time or the other.
We grieve over the loss of relationships, careers, youth, innocence, loved ones, and many other things.
This world is full of turmoil and grief.
Jesus Himself said in John 16:33 that “in this world you will have trouble.”
All around us, there is poverty, sicknesses, deaths, violence, etc.
Many times we go through extreme grief in our lives.
We cannot avoid grief, but we can avoid the destruction that grief can cause in our lives.
So, how can we deal with grief in our lives?
We can deal with grief by remembering the following 3 truths from the Word of God.
1. Your situation is not unique
The devil makes us think that our situation is unique and no one can understand our situation.
1 Cor. 10:13 – COMMON to man
Many times we say - “What happened to me should not happen to anyone”.
But the truth and fact are that it does happen to many people.
If Satan can make you believe that your situation is unique, then you automatically exempt yourself from all help that is available.
To truly heal and move beyond grief, we need others.
And you need the right people to comfort you.
After my Dad went to be with the Lord – all our family was together – many people invited us to dinner – that helped us to overcome grief.
If Satan can cut you off from others, then it’s like a wolf (satan) separating a sheep from the flock: you are easy prey!
1 Peter 5:8-9: “undergoing the SAME KIND OF SUFFERINGS”.
There is comfort in knowing that others are experiencing the same problems.
School – marks – others failing in more subjects than I – we are all like that!!!
Dad and Mom passing away – thank God for 63 years and 59 years respectively!!!
Anyway, I’m going to see them soon. The only pain is that it is a LONG SEPARATION.
Many people didn’t even have the privilege of experiencing the love and care of a father and a mother.
2. Our situation is only temporary
No tragedy is permanent.
Even death is only a temporary separation.
Many of the things people grieve over will be totally forgotten in a year.
Rom. 8:18 – our problems are not worthy to be compared to the future glory.
Putting all our tragedies into the perspective of eternity minimizes their impact on us.
2 Cor. 4:17 – light affliction for a moment.
What are they?
2 Cor. 6:4-10 and 2 Cor. 11:23-28
Paul’s affliction wasn’t light because it was less than ours, but because he put it in the perspective of eternity.
After a million years in the presence of the Lord in heaven, all the hardships of our life would seem like nothing.
An unsaved woman on the verge of divorce – asked for prayer for marriage – Pastor told her about the most important need – he lead her to the Lord.
Our grief and sorrow are temporary.
Ps. 30:5 says that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
3. God is not the source of your grief.
While God does discipline and even punish people sometimes, the source of all grief is sin.
When sin entered, sorrow entered into this world.
2 Cor. 4:4 – satan – ‘god of this world’.
Even though Jesus defeated Satan, He will exercise His complete power and sovereignty only at His Second Coming.
Satan, sin (personal and general), ourselves and others are the sources of our problems.
Many times we commit mistakes and blame it on God.
Our God is a good God!
Many things happen in the world which are not according to God’s will – E.g. 2 Peter 3:9 (not absolute sovereignty).
Heb. 4:15 – Jesus is touched by our feelings.
2 Cor. 1:4 – The Holy Spirit comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.
God is the one who solves your problems, not the author of your problems.
Our God is good!
Share my personal testimony.
