Grief can be misunderstood by many. But the most important truth about grief is that the grieving process is not going to end all of the pain. It can be devastating to lose a person who is very significant in someone’s life. People can also go through a loss of the way they view themselves or the way other people are going to view them.
When Steve Arterburn, founder of New Life Ministries, went through a divorce, he experienced a great deal of loss. In his grieving, he had to address his insecurity and fear of the future. But more than anything, it was the loss of a safe and intact home for his 12-year-old daughter that hurt him.
While he describes his sadness as feeling different now than it did then, he acknowledges that it’s still there. [Read more…]
Obsessive thoughts are a struggle for so many. If left unchecked, however, these obsessive thoughts can play over and over in your head like a record that has a scratch. Your thoughts can change depending on the situation. But once they’ve entered your mind, you may not be able to get rid of them.
On the outside, we have it all together. But on the inside, we may have secrets that we’ve never told a soul. Our secrets lie below the surface. No one can see them; nevertheless, they are there. These secrets cause us pain and keep us from being fully known.
On New Year’s Day, we are excited to set New Year’s resolutions and accomplish them. But within 30 days, most of us quit.