I have a relative who is grieving painfully and rather angrily after the loss of his wife in January. I believe his grieving is now unhealthy and unnatural. He continues his daily chores exactly as he did under his wife's insistence. He won't allow himself any recreation or new pastimes because it would be disloyal to his wife.
But like most of the family he will entertain a sentimental type of spiritualism. He wants to restore everything to the way it was when they were together and if there is an afterlife it has to be one where he is married again to his wife.
I said that his wife was in a great place, if she was "in Christ". This brought him up short and he listened. However when I explained that in the next life marriage as he and I understood it would be transcended and transformed and she would be married to Christ.
He really didn't like that.
I realised at that moment the precious things that God has given us but which can become a snare for us if we don't let them go. And how difficult it will be for all of us as we near our end to let go of this world.
But like most of the family he will entertain a sentimental type of spiritualism. He wants to restore everything to the way it was when they were together and if there is an afterlife it has to be one where he is married again to his wife.
I said that his wife was in a great place, if she was "in Christ". This brought him up short and he listened. However when I explained that in the next life marriage as he and I understood it would be transcended and transformed and she would be married to Christ.
He really didn't like that.
I realised at that moment the precious things that God has given us but which can become a snare for us if we don't let them go. And how difficult it will be for all of us as we near our end to let go of this world.