Dealing with loss and grief can be so debilitating! In this life, we will have tribulations. Yet, the knowledge of this truth does not make the experience any less difficult. People are routinely incapacitated and weakened by the onslaught of sorrow that accompanies these forfeitures and hurts. Whether it be from the death of a loved one, the disorienting demise of a relationship, the loss of vitality that is often associated with aging, sickness, or disease, and loads of other impairments, the grief is unquestionably devastating.
The question is “How are we to do deal with the inevitable griefs and losses of life”? The Bible provides a great response: “Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]” (1 Peter 5:7-AMP).
When dealing with grief, if we are not cautious, we may find ourselves bogged down in the sludge of self-pity, exclaiming “Woe is me” or singing the “somebody done me wrong” song. Yet, the Apostle Peter urges us to bring our cares to the Lord. The Lord Alone is sufficient for relieving us of our grief! He alone provides the necessary relief. The Lord Alone gives comfort at the core of our being.
So, we ought to bring all our burdens to Him, regardless of what caused them. This is not only an expression of our reliance on Him. It is also an acknowledgement that grief and loss can be soul-destroying. Our spirit can become, as the Psalmist declared, like a “wineskin in smoke.” We can become so demoralized, depressed, and despondent that we become “weary of life.”
There is our God, however, who “cares for us, with deepest affection, and watches over us very carefully.” Despite His care for us, this care is personal, direct, and specific. It is tailored-made for YOU and for me! What God does for us cannot be calculated by earthly arithmetic.
God also provides care for us through relationships with our biological and church families. Additionally, we can find support from trained Christian counselors, psychologists, or psychiatrists. Through the backings that may be found in these communities of support, the grief-stricken may find strength and comfort.
Grief may never ever completely go away. Dr. Donald Burden, pastor of the Bethany 7th Day Adventist Church, Miami, Florida, once offered a profoundly insightful statement at my aunt's funeral. He said, “Grief lasts as long as love does”! Yet, we can come to a place where we can continue to live the life that God has given us. All of this must be done as stewards (managers) of what God has provided and must be done for God’s glory, which will be for our good!
