what should we do with grief?

hidden 
or 
expressed

grief always hurts
grief frightens many
grief causes discomfort

in my experience people commonly try to

avoid it
deny it
escape it

today 
I have contemplated
"what if..."

what if we chose to

accept grief
embrace grief
experience grief fully

in all 
of it's
pain and ugliness

so that we might learn 

to live 
more completely 
the abundant life Jesus came to give us 

abundant 
means richly supplied 
not "all things pleasant"

"And my God will supply every need of yours 

according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. "

Philippians 4:19

Psalm 23

"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for His names sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for You are with me,

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

"...The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep..." 

John 10:10&11 

The Lord is my Shepherd.

I have found God to be true and faithful.

My life in Him is abundant, good and satisfying.

Even in,

maybe especially in,

the midst of deep grief.

So what do I do with my grief?

I try to accept it.

I try to embrace it.

I try to experience it fully.

And I definitely run to God with it,

holding it out to Him to help me bear it,

and ask Him to lead me wherever He wants to take me.