Here are notes from my sermon Sunday. If you are struggling with grief feel free to reach out.

The is part one of a 2 part series on grief.

Message Notes
“The Power of Grief over us” (how grief affects us)

Define grief
deep sorrow, especially that caused by someone’s death. (dictionary.com)

Grief is the anguish experienced after significant loss, usually the death of a beloved person. (American psychological association)

My definition: Our response to loss.
Meaning: we grieve no matter what.

How do we grieve? Ignoring it or living it

Most well known understanding of Grief
In 1969, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross described five common stages of grief, popularly referred to as DABDA. They include:
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance

What we grieve
Loss of loved ones,
jobs,
relationships (deceased or not),
the past.

Physical symptoms of grief

Common physical symptoms of grief
https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support/bereaved-family-friends/dealing-grief/physical-symptoms-grief#common

a hollow feeling in your stomach
tightness, or heaviness, in your chest or throat
oversensitivity to noise
difficulty breathing
feeling very tired and weak
a lack of energy
dry mouth
an increase or decrease in appetite
finding it hard to sleep or fear of sleeping
aches and pains.

The Power of Grief over us (How Grief affects us) (from Scripture)

There are some 20 Hebrew words translated in the King James Version by “grief,” “grieve,” “to be grieved,” etc.

They differ, partly, in their physical origin, and partly, in the nature and cause of the feeling expressed. the Revised Version (British and American) in several instances gives effect to this.

First mention of Grief in Scripture: Genesis 6:6
Genesis 6:6 “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”

Our hearts break in grief

In the Bible, grief and depression were often associated with the breakdown of the body, and in particular, the eye:

Of all the parts of the body, the eyes are arguably the most expressive of human emotion. Tears flow from our eyes and they can become dead with grief:

Psalm 31:9-10

“Be gracious to me, YHWH , for I am in distress; my eye is wasted away from grief [v-ka’as], my soul and my body too. For my life is spent with sorrow and my years with sighing; my strength has failed because of my guilt, and my body has wasted away.”

Psalm 6:6-10

I am weary with my sighing; every night I make my bed swim, I flood my couch with my tears.

Job 17:1-7

17 6 “God has made me a byword to everyone,
a man in whose face people spit.
7 My eyes have grown dim with grief;
my whole frame is but a shadow.

Job 17:6-8
The Message
6-8 “God, you’ve made me the talk of the town—
people spit in my face;
I can hardly see from crying so much;
I’m nothing but skin and bones.
Decent people can’t believe what they’re seeing;
the good-hearted wake up and insist I’ve given up on God.

Job 17:6-8
Common English Bible
6 He makes me a popular proverb;
I’m like spit in people’s faces.
7 My eye is weak from grief;
my limbs like a shadow—all of them.

Psalm 73

Psalm 73:21-22
(read 21-22, commentary on Psalm 73 and discuss v. 21-22)
21
When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,

22
I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

Psalm 73
Begins a new section of psalms (3rd volume,of 5 total)
BOOK III
Psalms 73–89

The title of this psalm (A Psalm of Asaph) tells us that it was written by the great singer and musician of David and Solomon’s era
(1 Chronicles 15:17-19, 16:5-7, 25:6).

1 Chronicles 25:1 and 2 Chronicles 29:30 add that Asaph was a prophet in his musical compositions.

Volume 3 begins with 11 Psalms of Asaph

How has music helped you in your grief?

Psalm 73:21-22
21
“When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,”
Embittered = angry or resentful at having been treated unfairly.
One of the stages of Kubler Ross grief is anger. (anger at God, ourselves, the one we lost).

“22
I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.”
Not ourselves

Resources on Grief
CS Lewis Book – A Grief Observed
Observations on grief on his dying wife.

Conclusion:
Grief has power over us, but we have too have power over grief.
Amen!

Psalm 23 King James Version (KJV)

A Psalm of David

Probably written when he was a King, recalling when he was a shepherd.

23 The Lord is my shepherd; 

A Shepherd is…

The lowest of all works.  The youngest son would serve as shepherd.  God took on the lowest work.

Abel was the first Shepherd.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10)

When Christ was born, the Good News came first to the Shepherds.

I shall not want.

NIV – I lack nothing

The basics we need: Food, Shelter, Protection, Love, Security

Notice the Lord’s Prayer

“‘Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

10 

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

    on earth as it is in heaven.

11 

Give us today our daily bread.

12 

And forgive us our debts,

    as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 

And lead us not into temptation,

    but deliver us from the evil one.’

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Philip Keller (in A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23) writes that sheep do not lie down easily, and will not unless four conditions are met. Because they are timid they will not lie down if they are afraid. Because they are social animals they will not lie down if there is friction among the sheep. If flies or parasites trouble them they will not lie down. Finally, if sheep are anxious about food or hungry they will not lie down. Rest comes because the shepherd has dealt with fear, friction, flies, and famine.

3 He restoreth my soul: 

Share in the Comments or Text – 888-526-3174 how God has restored your soul.

he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Proverbs 4:11

I have directed you in the way of wisdom;

I have led you in upright paths.

Proverbs 2:20

So you will walk in the way of good men

And keep to the paths of the righteous.

Psalm 16:11

You will make known to me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Acts 2:28

‘You have made known to me the ways of life;

You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.’

Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Paths-Of-Righteousness

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

The shadow of death (defeat) is casting over us.  Causing us fears.  The Lord is with us.

When the wolves come we know our shepherd.

Fear no evil: 

2 Timothy 1:7 – The Spirit God has given us.

2 Timothy 1:7 World English Bible (WEB)

7 For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

Rod and staff provide discipline and correction.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: 

The Message: “You serve me a six course dinner in front of my enemies”

thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Jesus head was anointed with oil.

Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50; John 12:1–8

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Share in the Comments or Text – 888-526-3174 the goodness and mercy you’ve experienced from God.

I often reflect on how things used to be. My mind flashes back to a “simpler” time. When I think about it however, where things simpler back then?

Frenzied thoughts:

My mind just races and races. Is there enough time, am I doing enough? Am I doing enough at work, at home, am I making a difference in the word? Am I making a difference in my own life?

At times it doesn’t feel like it

It is difficult to remain in the moment. We either ruminate on the past or instigate the future. Always in a rush. Never appreciating where we are right now.

How do we reign in our frenzied thoughts? Initially we want to quit thinking, but it is impossible to not think. Our minds are made up of thoughts. The goal is to focus our thoughts on the present moment.

The past

We spend so much of our time ruminating on the past. Rehashing in our mind over and over again a comment someone made. Berating ourselves for something we think we should have done. Regretting the mistakes we have made.

We can do nothing about those things. We can not change the past. We can make do our best to make amends, apologize and make changes going forward, but we cannot change the past.