by Bill Stevens
PART 5
WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE?
1. Remember Grief is a process and not an event.
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The valley is deeper than you think and longer than you wish. This process is not something that you just choose to go through one evening, week, or month. The grief process takes time.
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Let Jesus walk you through this valley.
“I thought I could describe a state; make a map of sorrow. Sorrow, however, turns out to be not a state, but a process. It needs not a map, but a history, and if I don’t stop writing that history at some quite arbitrary point, there’s no reason why I should ever stop.” C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed
2. Grieve with Hope.
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There is sorrow with hope and sorrow that is hopeless. Christians have a sorrow/grief that is with hope because they will see their believing loved ones again one day. This kind of hope is not like the modern definition of hope but a hope that is solid and secure because of the One who made the promise.
3. Talk about your loved one to your family.
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Don’t stop saying their name. There is nothing wrong remembering them. Throughout the Bible, ancestors were remembered by name. Over and over again, we hear them talking about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
4. Remember the good things.
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Write them down and make a special memorial book or DVD.
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Copy the pictures, letters, and stories. Make copies of these for all the family.
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There are some grandkids who will really treasure this one day.
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Learn from his/her mistakes and let go of anything unresolved.
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We know there is only one perfect person, the Lord Jesus Christ.
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The rest of us are sinners in need of the Savior. We are all sinners and fall terribly short of God’s Holy Standard, the Lord Jesus Christ.
5. Remember Special Days.
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Holidays, Birthdays, Anniversaries. Some will be extremely difficult for years to come.
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If he especially liked a certain dish on Christmas (or any other day) then make that dish in honor of him.
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If you did certain things, honor and remember those things you did.
6. Let Christ heal your soul.
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Your soul has been injured and needs to be healed. A broken bone can heal properly or improperly. If it heals properly it is a blessing, but if that broken bone heals the wrong way, it will always be a source of pain and grief. Your soul can heal the right way, or it can heal the wrong way and be a constant source of pain. Only the Lord Jesus knows the depth of the injury and the extent of the healing that is needed.
7. Rest in the God of your salvation.
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When you believed in your heart that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and you turned from your sins, God saved you. His salvation means that you have been forgiven, you have eternal life, and that you have a new life. You have been adopted by God. Because you have been saved, you have hope that when death comes your way, you will be with Jesus.
8. Reconcile
Life is too short to go through life with resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness. We tend to wear our feelings on our shirt-sleeves, to get our feelings hurt too easily. Aren’t relationships more important than a single event? If there are any strained or broken relationships – make it right. Get on the right path of coming together. We are only here for a little while.
Life is as a vapor that is here for a minute and then vanishes away. James 4:14
9. Regroup as a family
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It is time to come together.
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Encourage each other in their faith.
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Pull together.
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Family – you are going to need each other.
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Everything is shook-up – what is normal is not normal anymore.
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Come together and let Christ bring healing to yourself, family and friends. He wants you to come to a new place of wholeness and only He can carry you to that place.
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV)
A Prayer to receive Eternal Life from Christ
Lord Jesus
I am so hurting, and I need your help. Only you can really help me and heal my wounded heart.
I believe you died on the cross for my sins and I trust in your sacrifice as payment for my sins. You proved this by being raised from the dead on the third day.
I want to follow you and I want you to lead me. I surrender to you as Lord, leader, and boss of my life.
Please forgive me of my sins and give me eternal life.
Thank you for changing my life and bringing me into your family, and giving me eternal life!
Amen
Now what?
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Let us know if you prayed this prayer and Christ came into your life!
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Find a good Bible believing church that feels like family.