“Rarely do we get the understanding of revelatory insight we crave in the midst of our suffering.”

-TD Jakes

These past weeks for many of us have been challenging to say the least. Some have lost jobs. Lost loved ones. Lost a sense of security. If we’re honest, many of us have lost a part of who we are.

We are asking questions like…

“Why is this happening?

“Will things ever get back to normal?”

“Are we being punished?

“Did we do something wrong?”

The list of questions goes on and on.

Everywhere I look, I see that the issues of fear and anxiety are being addressed. Which is great. But, what if we aren’t struggling with either one? What if those two issues are actually the fruit of something much deeper? What if there is a root that is giving life to your fear and anxiety?

I believe there is.

I believe the root cause of our fear and anxiety is unprocessed grief.

Did I say grief?

Yes, grief.

“But isn’t grief something I deal with at a funeral?”

Yes, that’s correct. And when most of us think of grief, we do tend to think of losing a loved one, or an emotion you experience at a funeral. True grief is absolutely felt when you lose a loved one. 

But what if grief is actually experienced with all forms of loss?

We have all experienced loss during this crisis and few of us were taught how to deal with grief. To help, I want to share with you the five stages of grief. My prayer is you find yourself somewhere within one of these stages. Ask the Holy Spirit where you are at and He’ll show you.

The five stages of grief:

1. Denial

2. Anger

3. Bargaining

4. Depression

5. Acceptance

The step I want to focus on is acceptance.

According to studies, acceptance is the stage where people finally begin to find freedom from their grief. This is the stage where breakthroughs happen. It’s the stage where we stop living in the past and choose to move forward despite what has happened, or what is currently happening.

COVID-19 has undoubtedly brought loss. I don’t want to downplay it. Actually, downplaying your emotions during this time can be detrimental to your mental health. So my advice for you during this time is to do as King David in the Bible. Give your grief to God. Tell him exactly how you feel. (Psalm 25:16-17, Psalm 118:5, Psalm 86:3-4)

After you let it out, it’s time to stop bargaining with the life you had before and time to accept the life you currently have. You cannot turn back the clock. You are not doing yourself, or those around you, any favors by trying to go back to a place that no longer exists.

My prayer is that you will be able to find yourself during this season. Find your way out of the grips of grief.

My challenge for you today is to find out where you are, in the stages of grief, and allow the Holy Spirit to show you how to get unstuck and how to move forward. Your future is too bright and your purpose is too powerful to get stuck in this season. COVID-19 does not have the final word. God does.

I’ll end with this scripture:

“I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live”

Deuteronomy 30:19