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EHS- WEEK SEVEN: ENLARGE YOUR SOUL THROUGH GRIEF AND LOSS.
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Hello Family,
Welcome to week 7 of The Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Course. This week, our focus will be on ENLARGING YOUR SOUL THROUGH GRIEF AND LOSS(Read pages 123-139 of the book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazerro)
CASE STUDY
The story of Jesus in Matthew 26:36-44 (Read)
Ensure you watch the video for the week, download the study guide for the week in the group ‘Document Tab’. Engage with it to carry out the exercises for the week.
Remember to respond to the discussion prompt below, and respond to one other response.
DISCUSSION PROMPT
– Briefly share one loss you have experienced this past year. How has this loss impacted you?
– Growing up, how did you deal with your disappointments? Give one example.
– What about Jesus’ example of grieving most speaks to you about embracing your own grief and loss?
All responses are due, on or before Friday.
Let’s get right into it!
Chimamanda3 Comments-
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1. The most recent loss I experienced this past year was the loss of my dad on december 2024, and he was laid to rest february 2025.
To be honest, the loss impacted me in ways I never imagined.
Apart from the pain experienced from his passing, his absence revealed all the ways my dad was protecting and covering us we either took for granted or didn’t even know about. (Indeed a father is a covering and a defense)
I thought I knew what it meant to be an adult, but with the passing of my dad I was introduced to new levels of “adulting.” For I was ushered into a season of “parenting my parent” as I have become my mum’s primary care giver.
This loss has altered both my approach to life and my view of life.
2. Growing up, I dealt with disappointment by suppressing my feelings and not allowing myself to feel the pain of disappointment. This was a way to protect myself from pain. If I did not feel the pain, then there would be no need to express it.
But unexpressed pain does not disappear, it waits in the shadows for an unexpected time to find expression either through sickness or bad attitude and negative behavioral patterns.
3. Jesus’ example of grieving teaches me that it is okay to allow myself to feel pain and in turn express said pain both to God and to the ones who have hurt me. Feeling pain and expressing that pain through grief is part of my human experience. And in my grief, I get to experience the ministry of The Comforter. It also teaches me to create a safe space for others to do the same.
This week was a bit heavy as expected but it also enlightened me on how far I have come in my healing journey. Yes I still have a long way to go as some days are more difficult to live through than others, but I’m grateful to God that I’m not where I used to be, and its a priviledge to share this journey with you all.
Blessings!
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@Stephanie Thank you for sharing. I can very much relate because in one year, I lost my mom,my niece and our first child. No one can explain the feeling but looking back I can see how these events have shaped me into a better version.
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I always encourage us to listen to the study guide videos. Its so powerful to imagine that our greatest difficulties can birth our greatest strength. Listening to Pete reminds me of how important it is to name the issue. During my post graduate training rotation in Psychiatry I listened to a patient say, something like, “I know that there may not be a treatment for my condition but having a diagnosis gave me closure”. Oftentimes we run away from naming our feeling because it doesn’t seem to sound like our religious self. So we cover them with sanctimonious words mainly to make ourselves feel good but the problem is that it still leaks out through irritation, anger, avoidance, poor sleep, stress and pain.I wrote a blog on prescribing prayer as talking therapy because I find prayer to be my best place to unwind and name every emotion I feel about something (at least God won’t mind listening to my ramblings). It reminds me of what Paul meant by “Be anxious about nothing but in everything by prayer and Thanksgiving we should make our request known to God.” Now the best part is that “then the peace of God will govern our minds through Christ…”
I find that when I’m done with my wailings, then God answers me with His peace (quiet assurance) and I know that I’m not alone. I may not explain the situation but I know that God is aware and will birth something new and better through the pain or difficulty.
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