We are losing those special spring moments in our lives. Family Easter gatherings, Spring Break Vacations, proms, Spring sports, plays, dramas, and spring recitals. Graduations are in peril as we move closer to the end of school. We have lost time with friends, relatives, and co-workers on a daily basis (well most co-workers right?). We are losing a lot of these moments and it hurts. Yet we try to pull up our bootstraps, put our head down, hold it together, and try to push through. But deep down, most of us are grieving what is being lost. Guess what? It’s ok to admit we have lost or are losing something and it is ok to grieve.
Even very special days, like weddings.
This Saturday I was scheduled to officiate my first wedding. I was so excited and honored to have the opportunity to be a part of this couple’s very special day. Though my disappointment is nothing compared to the devastating disappointment of the soon to be man and wife and their special wedding day. So much time and detail that had gone into this wedding day; the venue reserved, food and drinks ordered, guests invited, invitations sent (with that special date 4/4/20), flowers about to be delivered, dresses fitted, THE dress purchased and hanging, and suits ordered for this special date on the calendar that has been held with great excitement for months is now no more. Though the date has been pushed back to this summer, this special day, this date, has been lost. I can’t imagine what the soon to be married couple has gone through. But the bride wrote a great blog about her range of emotions, her journey through this difficult situation as well as great wisdom into what to do if this were to happen to you in the future. You can find her blog post here: Wedding Blog
The range of emotions we are all experiencing can be vast; from anger to apathy; disgust to joy; digging deep and push through to giving up; from putting on a good face to weeping and mourning for what has been and is being lost. It is a sense of helplessness because there is nothing immediate we can do about it to make things go back to normal other than just stay at home.
With all of the waves of emotions let me say, it is ok to grieve what you have lost.
What have you lost?
What are you about to lose?
What are you afraid of losing?
If you are like me, we wish we could tell each other that this will all turn around tomorrow and everything will get back to normal and we can proceed with our plans. We wish we had the power to protect those dates, those events, those special moments we have all been looking forward to this spring and summer. We wish…
It’s ok to grieve, it is ok to cry, it is ok to let the emotions out. Jesus wept when he attended the funeral of his good friend Lazarus. 70% of the Psalms is a lament and a cry for help in the midst of despair and struggle. Many people in the Bible faced some very devestating things in their life and they cried out to God. It is ok to cry out to God and let Him know how you feel.
As you share your emotions, know that God is feeling it with you. As I shared in my last post, God did not cause this virus. This virus is not part of His plan. He is hurting with you. He understands your pain and your loss.
So today, maybe right now, let it out and let God hold you in His mighty arms because He is big enough for you to share your doubts, fears, worries, anger, sadness, and loss. He is a good, loving, and perfect Father.
Phil Steiner 