December 24, 2012

Pre-Death Grief

Recently my cousin lost her husband and although his was not a lingering death, he was bedridden for some weeks and the encouragement, the get well and Thanksgiving cards all piled up. Laura emailed, “I decided to open the cards tonight while I was alone and it was quiet.  As I opened each one, I began to realize that the hard part was that I wasn’t prepared for whether or not I was going to have a Christmas card or a sympathy card.” I’ve always found it comforting in reading about the manner in which David grieved for the son he had with Bathsheba. While the boy was ill David pleaded with God, fasted, wept and slept on the ground. On the 7th day when the child had died, David picked himself up, changed clothes and put on lotion. “now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him [when I die], but he will not return to me.” (2 Sam 12:23 NIV)

1 comment:

Steve Corey said...

Gail;

-----Grief is like guns, fire, hydrogen peroxide, and such stuff. It can be devastating if used improperly. But its proper use is essential. Grief is an adjustment tool. And of course, life gives us plenty events about which we need to adjust. But then again, our lives are like the tuner on a twenty-dollar radio, they will adjust only so well at any given time. Efforts to adjust beyond that only produce frustration. I think David understood this.

Love you all,
Steve Corey