The Pain of Grief and Depression
Grief and depression are hard to deal with. Sometimes we’re so hurt by our losses that can’t move forward. Thankfully, God does not leave us in this place and will help us heal and move forward to the next phase of our journeys.
Separate Yourself From The Situation
10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the Lord all that night.
35 Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Because Saul has not followed the Lord, Samuel receives the word that Saul has been rejected as the king of Israel. As his mentor and friend, Samuel becomes angry with Saul’s judgment and cries out to God all night in anguish. After coming to terms with the decision, Samuel delivers the message to Saul in Gigal and never sees him again in life.
Dealing With Heartbreak
Some time ago, I dated a woman I knew for several years. Before doing so, I told her about my intentions for marriage in the future. After dating for a few months, she told me she was no longer interested. I was hurt tremendously but I understood how she felt. Like Samuel, I separated myself from her to process my thoughts and express my feelings to the Lord.
Separating yourself from the situation is the first step to overcoming grief. During that moment, you can draw close to God in prayer to express your thoughts and emotions.
Embrace The Emotions That Come
Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Although Samuel never sees Saul again, he continued mourning for his former mentee. He was angry that Saul disobeyed the Lord and would no longer remain the king of Israel. He also empathizes with the Lord and his regret in appointing Saul.
Going Through the Motions
During that time in life, I deeply grieved over the pain of another failed relationship. I experienced the hurt of losing someone that cared about. Worst of all, I felt the disappointment of condemning myself for everything that happened.
As much as I wanted to hold onto these feelings, I gave them all to God. For hours, I would talk to God about my pain and sorrow. I expressed my feelings of failure and regret. I gave everything to him and in exchange, I received His peace.
The second step to overcoming grief is to surrender our emotions to God. Once you tell Him about everything that happens, we invite Him to give us His peace that surpasses all understanding.
Move Forward With God
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
After giving Samuel the space to grieve, God calls him to anoint a new king for Israel. Despite his feelings, Samuel still has a life to live. Israel was in a heated war with the Philistines and needed a God-filled king to lead them to victory. Through his conversation with God, Samuel gathers the strength to depart for the next phase of his journey.
Finding Freedom and Love
Like Samuel, God called me to continue serving his people after a few weeks of grieving. It was hard at first, but I knew I had to move forward. I extensively worked on building my ministry and spending more time with the people I loved. Months later, the Lord led me to host a 6 am Bible study each morning where I would reconnect with a woman that is now my fiancée.
The final step to overcoming grief is to continue moving and serving God. In this phase, we continue growing in our lives while healing from our past hurt.
We Can Overcome Grief
God will not leave us to deal with grief and depression alone. As you begin separating yourself from the situations, spend time with God and truly embrace your emotions. God will eventually shift you to the next phase of life where you will heal from everything you’ve endured.
