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In life, there is nothing one can be more unprepared for like they can be unprepared for loss. In the current pandemic, a lot of individuals and families have lost their loved ones. Reality can be so horrid sometimes thinking that one had a loved one at the tail end of last year and is now mourning the loss of that loved one. Our hearts and prayers go to those who have been afflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic. May the souls of their loved ones rest in eternal and everlasting peace.
The Unexpected Nature of Loss
Loss is like an atomic bomb unleashed in someone’s life. It is unexpected, unplanned for, and even not thought about. An individual or family can rarely anticipate loss. It just happens and can be so shocking that the initial response is for one to be in a kind of limbo with their feelings. When the individual is trying to process what has happened, they can feel locked out or out of touch with their emotions. It is the initial stage of grief and gets followed by sadness or grief, anger, and then acceptance.
The Unfortunate Impact of Loss
As human beings, we can never really anticipate or plan for loss. Even with a loved one in the hospital or suffering a health condition, we can never really expect or even imagine that they could lose their lives. The news of a loss is shocking and becomes followed by utter disbelief. Loss can be so impactful and calls for a lot of strength. This strength should be drawn from loved ones or other survivors of the cause of the loss. Having a support system is crucial to how well one can recover from a loss.
Who is part of your support system?
Accepting Loss as Part of God’s Plan
God has a plan for all our lives, and I believe that nothing happens without a reason. We are all part of the journey of life, and we are all bound to depart into another life. What happens after one loses their life is not as important as accepting that life is not everlasting.
That it can and will end and, as such, it is up to every one of us to live our lives in the best manner possible. We should all live in peace with ourselves and one another. We should strive to have a positive impact on the lives of others. We should also extend kindness to others and be excellent examples for those who follow us. Spiritually, we should worship God and live our lives according to His will.
Loss as Part of the Will of God
The will of God is God’s plan for our lives. God loves all of us, and Jesus loves all of us for being who we are. At the onset of loss and dealing with the reality of loss, one may ask a lot of questions and wonder why God would take a loved one away. We should understand that God is the Giver of Life, and He is the only one who can take it. In this light, our lives are not our own, but we live by the Grace and Will of God. Understanding this allows us to deal with and accept loss with the comfort of knowing that God’s plan is at work.
Letting Go and Accepting Grief After Losing Someone
My advice for anyone experiencing loss would be to let themselves feel the grief, sorrow, and pain. It is the best way to reach the acceptance stage. By allowing ourselves to feel the pain and to cry, we enable our hearts to let go. It is very difficult and can take a lot of time. The closer the person one has lost, the harder it is to accept or let go.
Not Letting Loss Blind Us to Those We Still Have
The loss of a close family member stays with a person throughout their life. However, we should not let loss dictate how we live our lives. We should not let loss blind us to those that we still have and those that are still here with us. It means that we should learn to appreciate those we have, be it loved ones or family members rather than wallow or linger in a perpetual loss. Trusting that loss is part of God’s plan for us, we can let go of those we have lost and let God guide us to those we love.
Loss as Part of Not Having All the Answers in Life
Life can entail a myriad of questions, and we will always have questions on why people lose their lives. However, as human beings, we are not meant to have all the answers. Life is not about having all the answers that we seek but is instead about finding those answers. What this means is that life is not about questioning the purpose of life but finding answers to the purposes of our lives. As Christians, this purpose is serving God by serving others.
The Loss of Relationships and Friendships
A loss not only happens in the form of the passing of a loved one. It can also get envisaged in the loss of relationships and friendships. Losing a relationship or a friend is also part of loss and can be very impactful and saddening. However, one can draw strength from knowing that God has a plan for all of us. That even as we may think or perceive our plans as what we want or the best thing for us, we don’t know where our plans will lead us.
Only God Knows Our Destiny
On the other hand, God knows our future and our destiny and will guide us to what is good for us and where He wants us to be. In this light, even if we lose a relationship or friend, then maybe that person is not part of God’s plan for our lives, and as much as that hurts, we can accept to follow and live by the will of God.
The Uncertainty that Comes with Loss
Loss is an integral part of human life, and we can never really know how to deal with it. There is no way to fully deal with loss and its after-effects, and maybe we are not meant to deal with it fully. Perhaps we are meant to love and to lose so that God can mold us and lead us to the purposes of our lives and our destinies.
Gratitude for Those We Have Had and Lost
We should always be grateful for having loved ones and those that love us. We should also remember those without their loved ones, be they street children, orphans, or widows. We should all strive to be a light in the lives of others as we can only truly serve God by serving others. We should also live healthy lives and ensure our lifestyles do not endanger our health or well-being.
Overcoming Loss in the COVID-19 Era
Even with loss, we will and can overcome it. The current pandemic and all other afflictions and suffering we go through in life are momentary. We are strong enough to overcome. God has given us the Grace to conquer pain and suffering. As such, we should all Trust in God.
Overcoming Loss through Prayer
Prayer is just as important as we can only talk to God through prayer. If we pray and pray persistently, God will hear us and give us the comfort we need to carry on with our lives after loss and losing a loved one.
