I previously wrote a blog about these verses and usually do not like to repeat a verse.
However, today I am in a different place, and I sense God is encouraging me to move forward
from where I presently find myself. The grief journey has many ups and downs and one can get
stuck at any point. To move on and grow, we need to learn to let go of the past and focus on
the future, while releasing the pain and regrets of the past and embracing the possibilities and
opportunities of the present and future.
We never forget our loved ones and our memories help sustain us for the rest of our
lives. I quote from A Month of Memories Words of Comfort on the Death of a Loved one,
written by Joan Chittister, “There is a period when parts of us that died with the death of those,
we loved rise again in the recollection of past moments and the tears of past tenderness. This
is when we know for certain that every deed, we ever do lives on somewhere in someone who
remembers it. This is when we are made to see death as a prod to life.” Much to reflect from
this and the following. “The death of someone we know reminds us that we are still alive for a
purpose. Our growing is not over yet; our giving is not finished.”
More than losses can bring regrets and as caretakers we can get stuck in trying to
control, lacking forgiveness, and not living in the moment. Our caretaking responsibilities can
be consuming, but if our go-to is usually anxiety, rather than trust, our time, energy, and
emotions quickly drain. That sentence is from the former blog and seems to fit for all of us on
any given day. Seeking the word of God on faith and trust helps us to stay in the moment and
not find ourselves at an impasse. We take confidence from 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, “Be on your
guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Your every act should be done with
love.”
Read recently, any time you experience loss; you’ll face four emotions. Anger – why did
this happen to me? Grief – What have I lost? Shock – What’s going on here? Fear – what’s
going to happen next? When experiencing a setback, one needs to express every one of these
emotions. God can handle them because He is the One who gave them to us, and we are made
in God’s image. The goal is gaining complete and present knowledge of the Lord, and our
energy needs to be given to following the Lord. I read that spiritual maturity is not telling God
what you want, it’s letting Him tell you what He wants.
In a recent trip to Barnes and Nobles, I saw a box, titled, Crush your Goals. My surprise
came when I turned it over and saw the title, Go Get ‘Em, Tiger. This was my husband’s love
name for me, and I sensed his inspiration encouraging my goal to write. Yes, I bought the
inspiring quote cards. I continue to be grateful for the many signs of God’s love that continues to carry me, as I try to go forward one day at a time. What do you need to let go of that will
enable you to keep on keeping on?