Day 30 - Special Days Trigger Grief
Special days—anniversaries, holidays, birthdays—can act as emotional land mines. The emotions you feel on those days can be as intense or even more intense than the emotions you felt at first.
Dr. Tim Clinton observes, “Too many people are unaware or underaware of the normal grieving process. For example … anniversary dates, birthdays, holidays and things like that can evoke a lot of anger. When this happens, people feel like there’s something wrong with them or they’re not very strong.”
These feelings are normal. Knowing this, prepare yourself ahead of time for those special days. Read the Bible to draw strength and comfort from it. Plan a quiet day with close friends or family members who will surround you with love. Remember, when you are discouraged and at a low point relating to your loss, the only remedy is to look to the Father.
“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you” (Psalm 42:5-6).
Lord, I look to You when I am struck down again by grief. I will depend on You, and I will praise You; for though I am struck down, I am not destroyed. Amen.