Day 8 of 21 Days: How Long Will You Grieve? The Christmas season can be one of the most glorious times of reflection for some, and heartbreak for others. Many can’t celebrate because of grief. Grief is a process of life. We all go through losses that result in seasons of grieving. God has ordained a timing element to get us through grief. Each year He would have us at the Feast of Tabernacles to rejoice for seven days. Rejoicing is an act that our will must come into agreement with. Nehemiah 8 is so key! The people were grieving over their deviation from the word that had created their captivity. The Lord said through Nehemiah to them: “This is not a day of grief but of rejoicing.” The Lord asked Samuel: “How long will you grieve over Saul’s demise!” Penny Jackson, who has experienced grief, healing, and deliverance wrote the following: A Christian counselor once told me that grief is like water in a bucket inside of us. Unlike water, though, it doesnt evaporate but must be poured out over time. This means that we must take the time to grieve, to let that grief pour out of us, so that it wont pull us down behind the scenes where we arent even aware of it. As Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens...a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. When loved ones die, there is a grieving process we must experience. Other countries and cultures often have built-in grieving times such as wakes, but we seem to say, Well, they are with the Lord, and get back to our lives. Take some time to see if there is un-evaporated grief in your life that could still be weighing you down. It might be over a loved one, but it could also be related to a death of something precious in your life. These days it could even be a death of innocence, as we hear tragic new stories each day. Whatever the case, take the time to weep so you can laugh wholeheartedly, and get your mourning done so you can DANCE! Stop and dance!!!!
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 18:12:33 +0000