Love and Grief

It may seem strange to write about grief during February, the month of love and Valentine's Day, but if we never love, we cannot experience grief. Although grief is devastating, a life void of love would be even worse. So although I am processing my grief from the loss of my husband, I cherish the times we had together and how much he enriched my life and the lives of my children.

The Mayo Clinic describes grief as “a strong, sometimes overwhelming emotion for people, regardless of whether their sadness stems from the loss of a loved one or from a terminal diagnosis they or someone they love has received.

They might find themselves feeling numb and removed from daily life, unable to carry on with regular duties while saddled with their sense of loss.

Grief is the natural reaction to loss. Grief is both a universal and a personal experience. Individual experiences of grief vary and are influenced by the nature of the loss. Some examples of loss include the death of a loved one, the ending of an important relationship, job loss, loss through theft or the loss of independence through disability.”

We all handle our grief in different ways and for different lengths of time. For me, when John died, at first my grief was so overwhelming that I felt as if I were in a deep dark hole with no way to get out. I knew that if I didn't do something, I would not make it.

Then I remembered how devastated I was when my ex husband left us. Feeling what I felt now that John was gone was so much deeper. Although the divorce was not the same cause of the grief, it was a great loss when it happened and the worse thing I had experienced up to that point in my life.

At the time of the divorce, although I was a Christian, I didn't really know much about God. People kept coming into my life to tell me about the love and goodness of God. I believed them and sought after God with the intensity of searching for a great treasure. God has never let me down. By the healing of the Holy Spirit and through the people He encourage to come into my life, I received His peace and was able to persevere and become whole.

So now, when John died, and I was feeling so broken and empty, I remembered how the Lord had healed me in the past, and I turned to Him completely. I knew that He was the only one who could pull me up out of the depths of despair. It's not easy, and I still have a way to go, but the Lord is helping me every step of the way.

The Bible has several scriptures encouraging us to trust in the Lord during our time of grieving. Here are a few.

Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

If you have suffered a loss of some kind and are hurting during this time, I would encourage you to seek the Lord's help in your restoration. I know from experience that He will never let you down. He loves you more than you can imagine. Below is a song that shares my beliefs. I hope you are blessed by it. May God bless you with His peace and love.