The Way God Handled GriefSample

LEARNING TO WALK BY FAITH AGAIN

In the 50th chapter of Genesis, we have the account of a father's death, his embalming period, his memorial service, and his burial. There is so much to learn from the account of Joseph's preparation to pay tribute to his father, Jacob, to ensure a proper burial. Along with his grief, just like us today, he had to keep walking by faith to make all the plans and carry them out.

Those who have lost someone very close to them will resonate, as sometimes, as we move through the motions needed to move on, we feel we are 'faking it.' We smile on the outside and grieve inside.

It was only after Joseph encouraged his brothers that feared him, that they could adjust to life without their father. Joseph reassured them that what they meant for harm, God turned into something good.

It isn't easy to put a smile on with a heart filled with anything but a smile, but often, that is what we do to keep going. I remember going to a fast-food restaurant by myself several months after my husband died. I forced myself to take this step. As I ate food, all the memories flooded my soul. My mind went to my husband sitting across from me and snapping that scrunched-up straw wrapper, which was soaring across the table at me to snap back at him. It is a little habit we got into doing just for fun. I got up and went to my car; it was too much. Oh God, how we need to lean on our faith to push forward.

It took courage and faith for Joseph to approach Pharaoh's advisors, asking permission to take Jacob's body back to Canaan for burial. In verses 2-3, the embalming process took 40 days, and the Egyptians mourned for 70 days. Then, they had 7 days of mourning during the memorial time. The distance between where they were in Egypt and the burial spot was estimated to be over 200 miles, so in their grief, they had to walk by faith; there was no sitting and dwelling.

Takeaway: It takes a long time to bury grief; sometimes, we never can, but the first step is to keep walking in faith.