h those who weep.” Rom 12:15. When you are happy, godly people will be happy for you. When you weep, people will grieve (not as deeply perhaps) with you. As the days go on, you will cry less. A day will even go by that there was no thought of the loved one that’s gone to be with the Lord. You will want to add guilt to your grieving but don’t. The memory will never go away.

And through your grieving eyes, look at your family and understand them too. They need you to be here. They need you just as much as ever. They need to connect with you emotionally and spiritually. They are watching and hoping to see a sign that they also are important to you. They see through your grieving what a person can mean to you. They need to know that they are as important to you.

Going through this time of death is a journey that no one else walks quite as you do. It’s an important journey to take but keep in mind that you find the light at the edge where this journey must end. Come from it with a smile. Rejoicing that you know a lot about life and death because God is the the faithful author of it all. Come out from that journey to love the living. God will need to use you to help others who have fears along with their grief. So at some point you will put a smile on and be “back to your old self”. You were never gone. You just had to do something that others could not do. That loved one could not pass from this life without someone like you pausing for a season to give honor to his life.

God is good. And He’s with you. And the ones who love you are with you. Be sure to let them know you are going to be OK, but that you are doing something important for the moment.