Manage episode 492505616 series 3578991
Grief strikes without warning, respecting no schedules or expectations. One moment you're functioning, the next you're struggling to breathe – yet somehow the world expects you to keep moving forward as if nothing has changed.
This deeply personal episode explores both sides of the grief journey – what it means to be grieving and what it means to support someone through their grief. Drawing from my own recent loss and ongoing journey after my sister's passing in March, I share the challenging reality of grief's timeline not aligning with society's expectations. When breathing feels like work and the simplest tasks become mountains to climb, the disconnect between your internal reality and external expectations creates an impossible burden.
Scripture offers us wisdom through passages like Ecclesiastes 3:4 which reminds us that Yahuwah allows time for mourning. This divine permission stands in stark contrast to a world that often seems impatient with grief, expecting quick "recovery" and consistent behavior. But grief changes us. It shifts our personalities, disrupts our focus, and transforms our responses – all perfectly natural reactions to profound loss.
For those supporting grievers, presence trumps perfection. Sometimes a simple "I'm thinking of you" message or sitting in comfortable silence communicates more love than attempted solutions or platitudes. Your grace during a griever's inconsistent days – when they might seem fine one moment and shut down the next – creates sacred space for healing. As Romans 12:15 guides us, "Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep," even when you don't fully understand their pain.
Remember that grief isn't something to "get over" – it's something to get through. The tears that come years later when hearing a song or remembering a birthday aren't signs of regression; they're testaments to love that continues beyond death. In our shared vulnerability, we can hold onto the promise of Revelation 21:4, that one day every tear will be wiped away. Until then, we carry each other with gentleness, extending grace in both directions.
If you're grieving today, know that you're seen, you're held, and you're not alone. Your inconsistency is welcome here.
Thank you for Listening
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Chapters
1. Introduction to Grief's Reality (00:00:00)
2. The Heart of a Griever (00:02:31)
3. How to Support Someone Grieving (00:04:49)
4. Grace for Both Sides (00:07:36)
5. Living with Loss Long-Term (00:12:01)
6. Closing Prayer and Encouragement (00:14:06)
26 episodes