Moving Through Grief with Grace Part 2

After my dad died, it was hard for me to continue. I felt stuck, frozen, until it caused me to want to jump into things without really thinking them through. I didn't really care about the outcome; I just wanted things done. I was tired of making decisions, which is not a great place for a writer because you are deciding every moment of your character's life. Eventually, I was able to really move through my grief with a little more wisdom and strength. I had to make an active choice to lean on God's perspective rather than my own. Here are a few more things to consider as you move through grief with grace.

3. Pray for strength and wisdom. “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;" Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

   When you lose someone you love, feelings of anger and abandonment can take root, making it hard to pray. God is not at fault for the loss of our loved one. Death is the result of sin from the fall of Adam. God gave us victory over death through His Son Jesus. When we experience the sorrows of death, He wants us to come to Him. He gives us everything we need during our time of need. We can move forward with grace in His strength and His wisdom. We need to come to Him.

4. Remember you are not alone in your grief. “Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept.”‭‭John‬ ‭11‬:‭32‬-‭35‬ ‭KJV‬‬

   We see from John 11 that Christ was also unshielded from grief. He lost his close friend. Isaiah 53:3 refers to Christ as "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief."

   I believe one of the greatest tricks of the devil is to overcome a Christian with thoughts that they are alone and that no one cares for them. When those feelings or thoughts come, we must look to Christ first. We can tell Him all our struggles and even our anger. Also, God places people in our lives to help us. When feelings of depression arise, we have to decide to seek help in a healthy way. Talk with a loved one, a pastor, or a Christian therapist about how you are feeling. Stay connected, not isolated.

5. Create a routine. Grief can be hard on your whole body; it is stored in deep brain areas and muscles, which can lead to fatigue, aches, and digestive issues. Go to sleep and wake up consistently around the same time. Plan when you are doing your devotion and walk/exercise. If you are a writer, plan when you will write and do it!