A troubled and hurting mom recently asked me "What does it mean to grieve God's way?"
Her question reminded me of a quote I read shortly after the loss of our son, Kevin: "Grieving God's way requires us to trust that He will lead us through the darkness, heal our pain and bring peace to our weary soul."
For me, to grieve God's way is to experience what my Mom prayed for me at Kevin's funeral; that I would experience a "holy" grief. I know understand the meaning behind her prayer, that my grief would be freely expressed, while I protected and preserved the faith, hope and trust I have in the One who has allowed the sorrow and suffering.
My Mom knew what she was praying for me, as she had suffered the loss of my Dad, when she was a young wife with young children to raise alone. After my Dad's death, my Mom made her way through a difficult journey of grief and unfortunately, she turned away from the Lord for a time, and she had regretted reacting to her suffering and pain and so she encouraged me to prepare to experience a "holy" grief with the hope that I would draw closer to the Lord, as He would draw close to me, "the brokenhearted."
In Joel 2:12-13 the Lord calls His chosen people of Israel to "return" to Him, and in reading this, I am reminded that no matter my circumstances, He calls me to . . . "Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping and mourning . . . now return to the Lord our God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness."
One of my life's Bible verses is Hebrews 12:12 . . .". . . so take a new grip with your tired hands, stand firm on your shaky legs and mark out a straight, smooth path for your feet, so that those who follow you, though weak and lame, will not fall and hurt themselves, but become strong. . . "
It is my constant and fervant prayer that I will continue to grieve the loss of my son with a "holy" grief . . . that I will always remain devoted and fully trusting in God alone - that I will grieve in a way that will refine and renew me, while glorifying the author and finsher of all life here on Earth and in Eternity.
In Christ Alone,
Angie "a mother like you"
www.amotherlikeme@gmail.com
amotherlikeme@gmail.com
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