"LORD, I HURT!"

Last night, I came across some old notes. I love to hang on to things learned...for review and to refresh. This note was on the Five Stages of Grief. For a moment, it took my breath away as I read over each stage, and I recognized myself in each of these stages over a very recent happening. Today, I am still hung up between Stage 4 and 5, still feeling somewhat depressed and not quite fully into acceptance.

The Five Stages of Grief are:

1. Denial and Isolation

2. Anger

3. Bargaining

4. Depression

5. Acceptance

Grief and grieving are part of the human condition. Working with people in grief, it is good for me to remember and be acquainted with these Five Stages of Grief. It is another thing entirely to find myself there. It is a place none of us like to find ourselves, and I place myself on that list of "I don't want to be here!"

I would add another to the Stages of Grief. I would add Forgiveness. Whether it be grief from the death of a loved one, or a damaged relationship, or ... and the list goes on. It is personalized by each grieving person. Healing can not - will not - take place without forgiveness.

As Christians, we have a mandate to forgive others as we ourselves have been forgiven. Further, if we hope to be forgiven ourselves by Jesus Christ, we must forgive in order to be forgiven. I certainly want my Savior to forgive my every sin and transgression. 

When I am hurting and grieving, along with my tears made up of water and feelings, right at the top of my list is forgiveness. An act of the will. An obedience. My emotions and feelings will catch up to the action a bit down the road.

How about you? How do you respond to grief! How will you respond? Something to think about!