Grief: What To Do With It?

Grief:  What Do I Do With It?

Grief is a very powerful emotion that God gave us.  But What Do I Do With It? 

My recollections of grief:  watching Grandma Beatty grieve, funeral for little boy, friend whose husband died & person told her God had someone else, attending funeral of young person who took own life.

Class of Death & Dying—What is grief and what should we do with it?  then it hit home 7 years ago when my own father died!

What is GRIEF?

   = deep & painful sorrow caused by a LOSS

   -root word means weak, sick, wounded

   -caused by death, disappointment, or deficit-loss—Bible wide range

   -grief is REAL—God gave us our emotions—Biblical

   -grief is DIFFERENT—everyone deals differently

     -not God’s plan to deny or dismiss grief

   -grief is SOBERING—makes us realize mortality & loss

   -grief is HUMBLING—need to depend on someone greater

Biblical Examples of Grief:

   1.  John 11:35—Jesus wept at Lazarus death

    -v.34-He was deeply moved in spirit & troubled

   2.  Matthew 26:38—Jesus soul was deeply grieved in garden

     -so He prayed to God on His face

   3.  I Samuel—David grieved Saul & Jonathan’s death

     -he and the army tore clothes, wept aloud, and fasted to sunset

   4.  Ecclesiastes 3:4—Solomon declared there is a time to grieve

   5.  James 4:14—Life is like a vapor, here for a little while and gone

God’s Promises:

Psalm 23

   1-Lord is MY SHEPHERD—shall not want

     -He provides, protects & prepares His sheep

   2-He MAKES me lie in GREEN pastures—none better

     -LEADS me beside QUIET waters—up to me to drink

   3-Restores my soul—can’t happen if we aren’t His sheep

     -guides me in the paths of righteousness—His perfect path for us

     -FOR HIS NAME’s SAKE—He wants His best for us!

   4-EVEN THOUGH-He didn’t stop it, but will saw it coming

     -I WALK THROUGH valley of the shadow of death

     -He intends for us to walk through—some valleys are long

     -it is the shadow of death, and not death.  Some shadows are dark!

    -I fear NO evil—or calamity or any bad thing that may come

     -for THOU ART WITH ME—He wants to be there—let Him

    -His ROD & STAFF comfort

     -Rod = protection & discipline  (same as rod for child)

     -Staff = provides course correction

   5-GOD prepares table before ME—He wants to provide & restore

     -in presence of enemies—nothing can stop His help

     -anoints my head with oil—courtesy shown to guests only

     -cup overflows—sign of hospitality—He WANTS to RESTORE

   6-Goodness & lovingkindness will follow me when I depend on Him

     -all days of life—He wants to be there for ups and downs

     -will dwell in God’s house forever—His plan through Jesus

     Psalm 116:15—precious in Lord’s sight –death of Godly ones

Isaiah 57:1-2—Good people die and no one understands

   -Lord says the righteous are taken from evil to peace & rest

   EX:  Dr. Donald Barnhouse—grieving wife’s’ death looking for

   comfort for kids—Large moving van passed by car-shadow

   Would you rather be run over by truck or its shadow? 

   2000 years ago Jesus was run over by truck of death so we would

   only have to endure the shadow.

Psalm 77:1-15

   1-3—He bears His soul of the anguish He feels—nothing comforts

   7-9--asks some tough questions from His soul

   10-God changed His grief and everything changed

   11-15—focus on the works of God and who He is

Grief:  What Do I Do With It ? 

Grieve—Jesus Did & God shows us over and over! 

And FOCUS on the promises & works of God, not emotions related to it.  God gave us emotions of grief to use.  Let them drive you to Him and not away from Him.