We all have to cope with the loss caused by death. How can we deal with our grief and help others who are grieving? Understanding what the Bible reveals about death and His promise of the resurrection provides great encouragement.
God, in His great love for us, has revealed answers to some of the greatest
questions we face: What is life? What is death? What happens after death?
We can find great comfort in the knowledge that God has a plan for all
of mankind and that death is a temporary separation. We will be reunited
with our loved ones through the resurrections God has promised.
Ultimately this understanding can help us better cope with a loss caused
by death. Yet we cannot deny or diminish the feeling of loss created by
death. We still sorrow and grieve. How can we deal with our grief? And
how can we encourage others who are grieving?
Grief is a deeply personal and traumatic experience. In dealing with grief,
you may find it helpful to understand the grieving process. Writers on
the subject have identified several stages of grief, including denial,
anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. (For example, see Dr. Elisabeth
Kübler-Ross’s model in On Death and Dying, 1969.)
We will briefly examine each stage to help you understand grief and be
prepared to deal with death. But bear in mind that a person in mourning
may not experience these stages sequentially. No timetable for working
one’s way through grief exists. Someone may feel several of the stages
described here but not others. Another may experience various stages simultaneously.
And having already gone through a certain stage doesn’t mean one
can’t return to it. Each person’s experience can be different.
Stages of grief: denial
When one experiences denial, his physical responses might include sweating,
faintness, nausea or a racing heart, just as with any other victim of shock.
The mind and emotions become overwhelmed. Some simply may not be able to
deal with the reality of death.
