Sunday, November 25, 2012

Psalm 43 - Grief

"Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?" (vs 2 NIV)

Have you ever felt totally depressed and can't really figure out why?  Grief comes in lots of forms and for many reasons.  The most common reason for grief is the death of someone we love.  But, there are lots of other reasons.  One, which we often fail to recognize, is the loss of a relationship.  Sometimes, that loss is through a divorce.  Thanks to that wonderful thing called denial, we don't often recognize the depression that we sink into as grief.  After all, are we not better off?  The marriage, the relationship, was broken.  It was totally dysfunctional.  Shouldn't we be relieved? 

Children are left grieving the loss of family when parents separate.  Divorces are not the only broken relationships that leave us grieving.  It could be that we've had a major disagreement with a close friend - a disagreement that leaves us not speaking to one another. And... there is a whole list of other things, besides family and friends, that, when gone, will leave us in grief.  The loss of a job, our home, safety, as well as any material object can leave us grieving and in many cases we won't even realize that we grieving for them  But, the loss will leave us feeling depressed, lost in the darkness, and alone.

We are coming into the season of Advent as we prepare for Christmas.  For those who are already experiencing grief, this season does not help.  While the world expects everyone to be happy, happy, happy; those grieving either retreat into a shell or put on a happy face for their family and friends, while they feel like they are dying inside.   

There are many reasons that one might be grieving. It is not something we should be ignoring. The first step is to recognize that, in fact, you are very sad over your loss or maybe it is someone whom you love that you need to recognize is grieving and allow them to share, to talk about their grief with you.  I have found it all too common, that after the funeral or divorce, nobody wants to hear, nobody will listen.  There is nobody to share your burden with.  Unfortunately, for some, in this world, that is a reality.  There is no place to turn except to Jesus.  He can be trusted with you burden.  He already has.  We may not always understand why or what we are grieving.  But, we can always trust in the LORD to help us through, one day at a time.

"Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." (vs 5)

God's Peace - Pr. J

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