Too Soon?

God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble

Psalm 46:1

In today's devotional the writer talks about how many people were shocked to see her associate pastor at church the day after his wife's memorial service. She says that not only had he lost the love of his life, but she had been taken suddenly. Many wondered was he ready to be around so many people, answering the same questions and rehashing the painful events of the previous week? The writer felt God telling her that her pastor needed to be around his church family.

The writer goes on to talk about how our responses to grief and tragedy are as different as our personalities, and it isn't our job to keep track of how long a person should stay in isolation, or what they could handle when.

I haven't experienced the loss of a spouse or a parent, but I lost my grandmother 2 years ago. It was the first person close to me that I had lost. She had, had a disease that was supposed to have taken her life at any time, but that she ended up living with for 15 years. In the end cancer took her, not the disease. I flew back and took care of her for 2 weeks right before she died. It was tiring, but God gave me the strength each day that I needed. I was so glad that I went to take care of her. It gave me some precious time with her, that I wouldn't have had otherwise. After she died, and I came home, I just wanted to be around my husband and my kids. I didn't feel up to going out and socializing. I got lots of advice on what I should do and how I should handle my grief from well meaning friends. They were trying help me, they are friends that love me and didn't want to see me hurting. But like the writer says the way we each deal with our grief is as different as we all are. And while I may want to go into seculsion for an extended period of time, someone else may want to be surrounded by people to help them get through it. God made us all the way we are, and the way we respond to the things that happen in our lives.

Steps of Faith:
Father, show me how to help when a friend is grieving. Stop me in moments when I evaluate of judge, remembering that there is no right or wrong way to mourn.

Deeper Walk:
Psalm 46 NAS
Theme: God is always there to help, providing refuge, security, and peace. God's power is complete and his ultimate victory is certain. He will not fail to rescue those who love him.
Author: The sons of Korah (temple assistants)

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has wroght desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted amoung the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.