It's Okay To Grieve
COVID-19 restrictions have turned our lives upside down, altering our well laid plans. From graduations, weddings, funerals, holidays, to little league we have had to give up, let go of and relinquish plans to celebrate milestones, bid farewell to loved ones and patiently wait for the day when we are given permission to restart activities.
We’ve become creative with finding some alternatives, like drive by birthdays and standing outside the windows of loved ones. But loss is still loss and it’s okay to be disappointed, to lament on what wasn’t and to grieve what might have been.
Let Yourself be Disappointed
Part of grieving is accepting the reality of the situation, including unmet expectations and the loss of a shared experience. None of us will be able to turn back time to recapture lost moments. Ministry programming and outreach events that you’ve invested hours of hard work and resources into may just need to be stored for now. While you do need to embrace the now, you also need to allow yourself to be disappointed.
Lament
This involves expressing loss. It might be a poem, painting, journal entry, song, rant or some means to expressing your feelings of loss. There’s an entire book in the Bible named for it and it’s a healthy thing to do.
Celebrate the Main Thing
For every occasion and event there is a purpose. A wedding celebrates a marriage, a funeral remembers a life, a graduation marks a milestone of educational achievement, a community carnival is a way of presenting God’s love. Find new ways to celebrate the main thing. Be creative, be simple, be intentional and be thankful.
What are you grieving? What do you need to grieve?
Travis Holownia is a visionary leader with a passion to see a generation live and lead in the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the founder of Resurgence Initiatives, established in 2008 to inspire people to arise together by reaching people, reviving the Church, and releasing leaders. Travis brings a unique blend of ministry and marketplace experience, holding degrees in Engineering and Theology and having worked in senior management in the oil and gas industry. He played a key role in leading Canada’s largest youth conference, YC, for eight years. Travis serves on numerous national and global ministry boards and is an Ordained Minister with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. He is committed to equipping evangelists and developing healthy, Spirit-led leaders.