Stages of the Grief Journey

Grief counsellors have found it helpful to define definite stages in the neighbourhoods of denial, anger and no hope.     From experience, they have seen how helpful it is for you to understand the emotional changes that occur in each stage. Grieving is a very lonely time. The loneliness is diminished when you know that certain stages are normal and millions of people have had similar experiences. You are not weak or unspiritual when you find yourself in any or all of the stages. You are normal.

How much time a person spends navigating each stage of grief varies from person to person. It may take you hours, months, or longer. Be patient!

You may not experience all these stages or in the order we present them. You may go back and forth from one stage to another. You may even process your loss differently altogether.

However, during this journey, God will build endurance, character and hope. It may sound insensitive and thoughtless to suggest that suffering has benefits. Paul who suffered greatly, describes from personal experience what God can do for you.
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,  and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.  Romans 5:3-5