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Grief and Tragedy
by Gail RodgersDisbelief and anger flood our minds and hearts as news of this senseless act of murder settles into our consciousness.
We grapple to understand… and there are no answers.
A broken mind has taken its own pain and inflicted it on many more. The pain multiplies and we collectively stagger under the weight .
In the face of such pain, the living must live on. But how? How can one regain his footing when such pain feels crippling and devastating?
Wise counselors put a tool into the hands of the bewildered and the bereaved. “Grief Work,” as professionals call it, is truly that. Work. We must reach out to one another in this difficult task of living on with the pain and burden of senseless loss.
Such grief tears at the very core of our beings. It is this word TEAR that has been used to give us steps in facing the unbelievable.
T = To accept the reality of the loss
It’s true. This has really happened. The loss is real. It cannot be denied or hidden from. It is what it is. The shocking reality sinks into our consciousness.
E = Experience the pain of the loss
It hurts. The pain seems unbearable. It washes over the senses like a wave of the sea. Feel it. Express it. Face the deep pain. Let the questions come…
Does God care? When the tidal waves of life sweep in unexpectedly and tear at the very fiber of our being with inexpressible grief, does God care?
We can agonize over the possibilities as we seek to answer the heart wrenching, “Why?”
Often our unanswered questions leave us blaming God and we distance ourselves from the very One who can bring comfort to the anguished heart.
In the midst of turmoil we find ourselves with a choice to make.
We can believe God is a God of love or we can turn from Him in anger. We can believe that His heart is always for us or we can believe He is cruel and mean. Running to Him in the midst of our anguish will take us into His arms of comfort. Pushing Him away will leave us alone with desperation in our souls.
Over and over God tells us in His Word that He sent His Son, Jesus, to this earth to heal broken hearts.
When we simply cannot understand the twists and turns of our path, we can run to the One who will anchor us. He doesn’t promise our lives will be free of trouble yet He does promise to hold us close through it all and give us strength to live on.
Never doubt God’s love and care. He hurts when we hurt. His Son, Jesus, went up the agonizing hill to the cross and understands the deep anguish the soul can plunge to. That’s why we can trust Him to be with us in our times of overwhelming stress.
When our minds cannot comprehend the tragic events we find ourselves in, our hearts can reach to the God of all comfort to find the strength we need to get through today and to know that there will be help and hope for tomorrow.
He is the one who can help you apply the final steps of “Grief Work” as you
A = Adjust to the new environment.
R = Reinvest in the new reality
God alone is the shield around the broken heart. He gives strength and hope and healing that will do more than just get you through terrible reality.
He can bring comfort to your soul and new life to the devastated places of your heart.
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