In her book On Death and Dying, author Elizabeth Kubler Ross identifies five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and, eventually, acceptance.
We can go through these cycles in order, move back and forth among them, get stuck on one for a while, or only recognize one or two of the five cycles (or even none at all).
There is one thing that is certain in our grief: The Lord promises, through Scripture, that there will be times of joy ahead of us no matter what sorrow we are currently experiencing. As Christians we understand that through the many seasons of our life, there will be times for laughter and times for sorrow. When we grieve the death of a loved one, a relationship, or a beloved pet, it is difficult to see beyond our grief and look forward to joy.
We are promised that we will not be abandoned. As followers of Jesus we trust that God gives us the tools—people, materials, attitude and will—to learn and grow through these cycles.
This message is adapted from Gather magazine’s All Anew Devotional Coloring Book. You can purchase your own copy for only $5.
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