Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Matthew 5:4
I once read a cute sign that said, "Trying to clean a house with toddlers in it, is like trying to brush your teeth with Oreos in your mouth." In other words, it is useless. You can try to clean the house, but sure enough, the toddler will be right behind you pulling everything out from their organized home. It's not that they are trying to cause your defeat, they are simply doing what they do best ~ exploring.
I can't tell you the number of times I would clean our house to turn around and see that a new mess had been created. I finally got smart and placed a clothes basket in the living room. Shortly before my husband would return home from work, I would have the kids help me place their toys in the basket. Once a day cleaning was much simpler, but it didn't quite resolve the problem. The next day, I faced the same predicament.
With grief, sometimes we can feel that no matter what we do, it is always going to be on our back, in our face, or hanging over our head. We feel like we will never get ahold of our emotions, see the light at the end of the tunnel, or much less smile again. Days can go into weeks and it may feel as though we are just existing. Grief can be funny like that. We give up on the things that once brought us pleasure. We question why we should participate because our loved one isn't there. Perhaps we feel a betrayal if our hearts feel happiness and not the pain of their absence. It doesn't have to be this way though.
Matthew tells us that we are blessed if we mourn for we will be comforted. It does not promise that the pain will immediately leave, but it does offer hope that God understands. He watched the pain of his son dying on the cross for many who would never accept him. They mocked him and wanted to destroy everything that Christ stood for. When we lose a loved one, it may feel as though we have been rejected as well because everyone else has continued on with their life, while our life is left in pieces. God understands.
I heard a song recently that brought me comfort. See, I lost two parents and two children. Although my losses are as recent as a couple of years and as far back as 25 years, my sorrow is still in my heart. Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays...even something as unique as a certain smell can send me into a brief emotional tailspin. The truth of the matter is, that is completely normal.
I am attaching this song as my gift to you. Maybe you have hit that grief wall so hard, you can't see straight. Maybe you can't move on from the loss of a child or parent. Maybe you just lost your spouse. It is going to be fine.....just cry!
Matthew 5:4
I once read a cute sign that said, "Trying to clean a house with toddlers in it, is like trying to brush your teeth with Oreos in your mouth." In other words, it is useless. You can try to clean the house, but sure enough, the toddler will be right behind you pulling everything out from their organized home. It's not that they are trying to cause your defeat, they are simply doing what they do best ~ exploring.
I can't tell you the number of times I would clean our house to turn around and see that a new mess had been created. I finally got smart and placed a clothes basket in the living room. Shortly before my husband would return home from work, I would have the kids help me place their toys in the basket. Once a day cleaning was much simpler, but it didn't quite resolve the problem. The next day, I faced the same predicament.
With grief, sometimes we can feel that no matter what we do, it is always going to be on our back, in our face, or hanging over our head. We feel like we will never get ahold of our emotions, see the light at the end of the tunnel, or much less smile again. Days can go into weeks and it may feel as though we are just existing. Grief can be funny like that. We give up on the things that once brought us pleasure. We question why we should participate because our loved one isn't there. Perhaps we feel a betrayal if our hearts feel happiness and not the pain of their absence. It doesn't have to be this way though.
Matthew tells us that we are blessed if we mourn for we will be comforted. It does not promise that the pain will immediately leave, but it does offer hope that God understands. He watched the pain of his son dying on the cross for many who would never accept him. They mocked him and wanted to destroy everything that Christ stood for. When we lose a loved one, it may feel as though we have been rejected as well because everyone else has continued on with their life, while our life is left in pieces. God understands.
I heard a song recently that brought me comfort. See, I lost two parents and two children. Although my losses are as recent as a couple of years and as far back as 25 years, my sorrow is still in my heart. Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays...even something as unique as a certain smell can send me into a brief emotional tailspin. The truth of the matter is, that is completely normal.
I am attaching this song as my gift to you. Maybe you have hit that grief wall so hard, you can't see straight. Maybe you can't move on from the loss of a child or parent. Maybe you just lost your spouse. It is going to be fine.....just cry!