How Should I respond to Grief?

Random Introduction

I prefer marriage ceremony than funeral ceremony; obvious, right? Its glamor, happy, happening, lots of smiling face, and tears of joy. If you watched The Twilight Saga: Part 1 recently, you might want to imagine yourself in one of those characters; Bella or Edwards. “You’ll want to get married straightaway”, said my Twilight-fanatic girlfriends. Vampires, Werewolves and all those stuffs – fantasy and dreams. How wonderful. How imagination. How grandeur it can be.

Should Be My Introduction (I guess)

But if I want to learn about life - about the reality of life, I go to funeral ceremony. Watching people weeping and staring at the death body comfortably lying on the coffin – now, that is the reality of life. You see; God doesn’t say that if you love him, you’ll be free from pain and grief.I heard a sermon one weekend where the preacher said, “God want you to be rich. He doesn’t want you to end up in poverty, sickness, hurt and suffering. If you believe in him, you’ll be set free from all of this… received his blessing! Come!” Oh you know, my heart was filled with sadness and I prayed that the people won’t believe this entire self-esteem, feel-good message. Obviously, he didn’t read the Book of Job, or contemplate on the suffering of Christ and the ultimate grieving of Christ on the Cross.

My Message Actually...

Let’s focus on grief for this brief article since I brought up funeral ceremony earlier on. Grief shouldn’t be treated with ‘thinking positive’ methods or ‘learn to forget’ statements. Grief should be treated simply by grieving. Take your time and freedom to grief. Part of healing, my brothers and sisters, is to let grieve to release your emotional pressure of your sorrow. The strongest person I know taking his or her time of grieving not by hiding it or acting strong – no – they acknowledge the loss and expressing it as humanly as possible. 

Amy E. Mason writes, “God knows your grieve, understands your sorrow, and comforts you with his presence. He does not promise to protect you from grief, but he does promise to help you through it. He has overcome all things that cause grief, so take comfort in the knowledge that if you endure with God, you will overcome with him.”

 The reality about life includes pain, grief and suffering – don’t be ignorance with the truth. The bad news is that it will continue as long as we live here on earth. The good news is that God promises to be ‘the source of all comfort’ (2 Corinthians 1:3NLT) and go through it all with us. In the end, one of these days, when all those who continue to trust and confess that Jesus is Lord and Savior will meet him face-to-face, I tell you; “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. And there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” (Revelation 21:4NLT) Amen! 

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.