Prolonged Grief - A Biblical Perspective

In the book of Genesis, it records the prolonged grief of the patriarch Jacob over the significant loss of his beloved and favorite son, Joseph.  Jacob, expressing the depth of his profound loss and the depth of love he had for his son, said these words:

“For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him”. Genesis 37:35

It’s universally humane to not want anyone to suffer in any manner.  When we see someone we care about suffering, we want to help ease the pain they are feeling, especially if it is prolong suffering of any kind.  And when the source of that pain is caused by death, we all are helpless in stopping it.   And when pain from grief is caused by a great loss of a loved one that was very significant in someone's life, we have learned that "time" will be the most beneficial aide in healing this gapping wound of misery and gloom.

No one can or should direct a person’s grieving to conform to a norm or a standard of how long it should be.  No pre-approval or approval is needed to be in prolonged grief.   What is only needed is non-judgmental compassion and healing patience.    

To place a limit on the amount of time a person should grieve over the significant loss of a loved one is to place a limit on the depth of love one should have for a person.   Love for a beloved loved one that was significant in our lives never diminishes when they die.   In fact, it is often actually felt stronger after their death, therefore testifying that love in itself is endlessly enduring.   And the degree of each person’s love is individually and personally felt for different personal reasons.     Likewise, grief and the degree of it, is individually and personally felt.

Only God and Jesus Christ knows and understand the degree and depth of a person’s love and loss, who can only give the peace of healing and comfort that passes all understanding. 

”Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is”. Jeremiah 17:7

In time, and only God knows when that time is, he wants us all to move forward with his help with new found wisdom, to continue living out our lives in a meaningful and purposeful way for our good and happiness to help in the well-being and happiness of others. 

                  Anchored in the Love and Faithfulness of God