by F D Mosley

Created on: December 14, 2008   Last Updated: December 24, 2008

Bereavement Counseling

Grief is often manifested by crushing, suffocating, debilitating anguish. Confused thinking or pathological reasoning may be present. This is intensified when the grief comes through bereaving for a loved one who has recently died. People experiencing this kind of grief need help, hope and often counseling.

Lists of causes of grief are many and easily obtained. These lists are sometimes helpful. Dr. Gary Collins, in his Christian Counseling, published by Word, makes an excellent summary of causes when he stated, "Indeed, whenever a part of life is removed there is grief."

Dr. Jay Adams, in his Christian Counselors Manuel, published by Baker summarizes the causes of grief this way, "Those who have suffered life-shattering experiences need hope. Grief over the loss of: 1) a person by death, moving, adultery, divorce, 2) possessions or, 3) position (status, job, one's good name) may experience grief and need hope." And they need help. And help is available.

The emptiness and pain of being forced to let go of someone we love, sometimes isn't softened even by our firm belief that we will see them again. Belief in the resurrection brings comfort to Christ followers, or Christians, but it is still painful. It is hard for the grieving to comprehend, much less accept, the fact that they are now absolutely, inflexibly, irreversibly separated from their loved one.

As Dr. Collins points out in Christian Counseling, "The Bible is a realistic book which describes the deaths and subsequent grieving of many people. In the Old Testament we read of God's presence and comfort as we "walk through the valley of the shadow of death" (Ps. 23); we read descriptions of people grieving in times of loss and trouble (Ps. 6:5-7, 137:1,5,6, 2 Samuel 12). We learn that the Word of God strengthens grievers (Ps. 119:28), and we are introduced to the Messiah as a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. Surely our grief He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried (Isaiah 53:3,4)."

Those who grieve are one of two kinds of people. Those who are believers in Christ, The One who claimed, "I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25) are of one group. Those who do not believe in Christ and do not believe in the resurrection make up the other group. One thing that these groups have in common is that their loved ones who have died want their survivors to know that Jesus desires to be their Redeemer. It is important that the grieving realize that the loved one they have lost would

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