Losing a loved one is very challenging. Transitioning from a season with being with someone to living life without the persons is difficult if you and the person were close.
Let us take note that no one grieves the same. Our grieving process is unique and the grief recovery journey will depend upon our: personality type, emotional state, coping abilities, spiritual dependency, and desire to move forward.
Suggestive 4 steps we can follow for most types of grief:
Relationship Change
Depending on type of relationship we had with the deceased or divorce we, are relationship status will change (married, single, widow, or divorce). This means one may have to decide if we are going to develop new relationships, maintain some old relationships, or remain within the relationship we have established.
Moving on with life
This does not mean that we forget our loved one’s memories. We want to remember him or her in healthy appropriate ways. In God’s grace we have to form new identities without the person’s physical presence.
Develop a new relationship
This is where we develop a new relationship with our deceased love one. How? By reflecting back on who he or she was, his or her achievements, and his or her impact that he or she made upon society.
Balancing our memories
We will not permit our memories of the person to become distorted. Our memories of the person must balance between; good, bad, positive and negative. This will help us maintain realistic and accurate memories.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalms 147:3 NIV).
