Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, August 25, 2023
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Again, as with fear yesterday, can we truly rest from grief? Grief is nonlinear. It overwhelms us when we least expect it, even years after the loss that created it. Three of my closest friends are walking the heart-wrenching path of watching a parent die slowly of dementia. Even before their beloved mom or dad dies, they are grieving every day, every week, another loss. Someone who has loved them their whole lives suddenly does not know who they are. Someone who has been their rock and their support suddenly needs them to be a support instead. I have friends who have lost children. I have friends who have lost vital relationships. There is so much cause for grief in our lives, and when it hits us, we are often powerless to resist it.
How can we rest from grief? I’m no expert, but in watching those I love walk through it, I have learned powerful lessons. Acknowledging the grief is key—naming it, owning it, letting it be what it is. Reaching out for support from friends, counselors, pastors, and others helps to release some of the immediate pain. And then, in those moments when the grief is quiet, we can lean into God’s blessed rest, even if just for a short time. God wants us to rest, and will help us do so.
Where have I experienced grief in my life? How do I get relief from it?
