refocus and delight

I lost a friend three weeks ago. It was a sudden and an unexpected loss. She was a member of our small group family. We shared a love for Jesus, hobbies, ministries, and prayers. She was my constant prayer warrior as she prayed for my healing everyday for over a month last spring. I feel blessed when she considered me as an "older sister" having only known each other for over a year.

Our small group study on the Beatitudes came at a good time while I grieved. I reminded myself of Matthew 5:4 "Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted". I learned that mourning is a sign of emotional wholeness and comfort is the strength to go on. Because we have God's comforting promise, presence, and compassion, we are fortified with renewed strength.

Another message that helped me during the grieving process was from the Daniel Plan Devotional on page 289:

FINDING COMFORT

Grief is letting go of something we've lost. It's saying, "Goodbye, I can't keep you. You've left me." If our health has left us, we say goodbye to it. If we've lost a business, we say goodbye to the financial security. If a person has died, we say goodbye to that relationship. This saying goodbye is necessary for our well-being. The function of grief is that it gives us an outlet for our sadness and loss. Without it, we can actually get stuck in anxiety, depression, or anger. Grief says, "I've got to empty out the pain so that I can eventually move on."

Weeping and other physical expressions of grief actually help us renew our minds. Weeping helps us let go and move on. If you have suffered a loss that you haven't gotten over, consider doing something physical to honor that loss. Consider talking to a friend about it. We are able to move through grief when we share it with another person.

And lastly, I would like to share this video: