Loss, Grief, & Lament

All change (good and hard) leads to loss, all loss deserves to be grieved. Healing comes when we invite Jesus in and find new ways of having our needs met.

The image above is a helpful tool in considering loss/the impact of change, transition, crisis, or trauma. Use it to identify your loss and the various impact on you physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

List losses you have experienced this year, month, season, week-whatever you need.

Ex- loss of relationships, loss of independence, loss of sense of stability

Tangible (ie moving- loss of my bed)

Intangible (ie moving- my sense of familiar/predictable place)

Express how these losses have affected you (Impact)

Write down how you have found new ways to have needs met/ areas you still need new ways to meet these needs

Invite God to show you how He longs to meet these needs. Take time to remember that He is acquainted with grief- He can and wants to hold it for you

We do not grieve as the world grieves. We know that we have HOPE! Jesus is the Man of Sorrows, acquainted with grief.

We TURN TO Him

CRY OUT- pour out our complaint

REMEMBER who He is and what He has done and ask for HELP

REPLACE our trust in Him.

This is the process of Lament we see so often in the Psalms. Example:

Psalm 13:1

TURN TO THE LORD:

How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?

CRY OUT:

How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

REMEMBER AND ASK

3 Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, 4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

REPLACE TRUST

5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.

Write your own prayer of lament:

Turning to God:

Pour out your complaint/pain:

Remember and ask:

Replace trust: