Losing a loved one can feel like you are all alone in this, and your heart is completely broken with no way of mending. Though no one can truly understand the grief you are facing or know the special relationship you had with your loved one, here are a few ideas to help you.
Give yourself time to grieve because grief takes time.
Sometimes our responsibilities can make it difficult to grieve. You might be taking care of children, parents, spouse, or friends during this time. You might have a demanding job that takes priority. However, it is important to give yourself time to grieve. Unfortunately, we cannot walk around grief. It has to be walked through.
Grief can hurt physically.
Grief can be exhausting physically. Due to the range of emotion you may be experiencing, you can feel fatigued physically. Just a few emotions that you may experience are shock, depression, anger, frustration, hopelessness, stress, disbelief, feeling wronged, and so many more. It can feel like riding an emotional roller coaster you’re not able to get off. Because of this, it is important to rest and take care of yourself. Your health is important while you are walking through grief.
Grief can look different on different people.
You and your loved one had a special relationship, so the grief you are experiencing will look different than others. It can even look different in family members who lost the same loved one. This does not mean that their relationship was more or less meaningful than yours. Give space to yourself and others as they grieve the loss of their loved one.
Where do we turn?
It is important to turn to the one that can heal your heart. Psalm 34:18 tells us, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Though you may feel like you are wrapped in an emotional blanket of chaos, the Lord is still there. Cry out to Him. “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” (James 4:8)
Here are some other ways that can help you draw near to God.
1. Read the Bible.
2. Listen to worship music.
3. Talk to the Lord out loud or privately.
4. Write God a letter about what you are feeling.
If you have other ideas that have helped you, let us know. If you need prayer, let us know.
