Loss of any kind brings grief—if we notice. Often, we don’t think of these experiences as loss, so we don’t stop to deal with them. Have you ever experienced a loss and thought your response was out of proportion to the actual loss? It just might have been because old griefs come to the fore when new losses occur.
Grief affects us emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Old losses surface as we’re ready to grieve. Unresolved grief waits in the wings for the next loss so it can reappear and ask for our attention–and often comes out sideways or in sneaky ways that take us, and those we love, by surprise. And it can also affect physical health and relationships. Grief needs to be acknowledged—and addressed.
Yet in the end, grief won’t have the last word. While the way through is difficult, we know God holds and surrounds us with lavish love, caressing comfort, and serene strength.
This message is excerpted from the “Faces of Grief,” written by Sonia Solomonson, a 2010 Women of the ELCA resource.
If you enjoy this resource, Donate Now.
reply
retweet
favorite