“… the path of grief could not be scripted and was one taken alone, even if one grieved with family.” That’s a quote from a book by Jacqueline Winspear and probably is one of the best descriptions of the the emotion of grief I’ve ever read.
Grief is really all pervasive. It is physically felt as well as emotionally. It seeps in with a coldness that is hard to describe but very familiar when experienced. Grief can control what we do and what we say and above all, it makes us so very weary.Grief paralyzes and confuses – it is all encompassing. Grief saps the strength and perhaps that’s the greatest damage it does to us. There’s no such thing as a ‘little grief’.
Grief blinds us and binds us requiring that we fight through in order to see. However, we can overcome grief – if we want to. There would be those who would say that of course they want to it’s just that they can’t. Not true. We can… if we stop focusing on ourselves and our own pain. We humans do enjoy being the center of attention and reaping the concern of others. Harsh. Yes… but true. When you focus on your own pain and loss you lose perspective.
For just a moment consider the grief the Father felt at the crucifixion. If we feel grief so intensely can you even begin to imagine how God felt when He had to turn His back on His only Son? And if you can get your head around that then think for just a moment that all that was done for you (and me)! The point is that both the Father and the Son went outside of themselves and their feelings to act for your benefit.
Grief can incapacitate us or it can energize us – it depends on our focus.
