Answering Grief
The RevGalBlogPals offer a question each week for pastors to answer. They are often about unrest in the church, or how to handle the "politics" of church life, but this weeks was very sad.
A woman in my parish unexpectedly lost her adult daughter a few months ago. She has been experiencing severe, paralyzing, debilitating grief compounded by alcoholism. ... I feel helpless to help her. .... I really don't know what to do.To read the entire quote, go here.
It's a very tough question. I doubt any of us face grief and its response that is that tough to answer, but I imagine many of us have faced the question of what to say or what to do to help someone who is dealing with a terrible loss.
It's hard. I never know what to say or what to do. I always feel inadequate to provide an answer -- whether it is in words or deeds. I never really know if what I have done or said is of any help at all.
I see some people who seem to know what to do or say, and I wonder how it is that they are so certain in their responses. Do they ever feel uncertain like me? Do they hide it? Or are they truly able to respond in confidence? Is it from experience?
No answers tonight. Just questions.
posted by Kim at 9:44 PM
1 Comments:
In Job when Job is suffering the lose of his wife and children his three freinds come to visit him. They give an example of one way to deal with the grief stricken. These three freinds let Job know they care and just sit and be with Job while he grieves.
I think that's true for as well us all we can do is just continue to be close at hand.
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