Navigating life's losses (2)

"A time to be born, and a time to die." Ecc 3:2Researchers at the Colorado Institute of Grief offerus this helpful four-stage path to recovery. Stageone - Shock. Our initial response is one of denialand disbelief. "I can't believe this is happening.it'snot real!" There is a numbing of our senses, a God-designed natural "anesthesia" that buffers the earlyblow and allows us time to gather our copingmechanisms. Stage two - Protest. We feel angerand resentment against God, yet we feel guilty forblaming Him. We may blame ourselves, the doctors,the patient, and question God's love andfaithfulness-even bargaining with Him. "If You willjust do a miracle and bring them back, I will..." Stagethree - Disorganization. Everything comes apart atthe seams. The lifestyle we knew and lovedunravels. The dreams we cherished evaporate. Wefeel hopeless, powerless, lost in a strange, emptyuniverse. Secondary losses may loom: financialinsecurity, social dislocation, depression, loss ofconcentration, etc. We're convinced that life willnever be normal again. We survive moment tomoment, afraid to anticipate the road ahead. Stagefour - Reorganization. Unrelenting grief gives wayto waves of sadness varying in frequency andintensity. We begin to accept and accommodate ourloss. The energy we expended on grief workbecomes available again, enabling us to adjust tothe demands and opportunities of our new lifestyle.Slowly we reemerge and take hold of the reinsagain. The process will take many months, and fullrecovery even years. But God promises it will come!There will be "a time to heal...build up..laugh...dance...gain!" (Ecc 3:3-4, 6 NKJV).Send us Fan MailSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!