Grief, in some form or another, will affect all of us during our lives. When things end, it is a healthy and normal response to feel sadness and to need to take some time to process. Psychologists tell us that there are 5 stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

Whilst the idea of 5 stages feels clear-cut, experiencing grief and loss is far from a simple, formulaic experience. None of those stages are clearly defined slots, lasting a determined amount of time. They might last days, hours or weeks, even returning at unexpected moments, triggered by memories, sights, smells or thoughts.

We’ve put together a video series, called HUMAN, to help you as you journey through some of the more difficult parts of life. Each video has a creative element and then some reflections from some of the CBN Europe team, encouraging you with what God’s word says and how he wants to meet us in our suffering.

There’s a verse that can give us great comfort; even as we experience grief. It’s Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. Often, when we feel pain, running to God isn’t our first instinct. We somehow feel bad or guilty for what we’re feeling. I think that’s why this verse is encouraging – God comes close to us, in our pain, even if we don’t feel up to the task of pursuing him.

If you need prayer, then you can call our prayer centre. We’re open for prayer calls from 8-10am, 13.30 – 15.00 and 18.00 – 19.30, Monday – Friday. You can also get in touch through social media, by sending a message on Facebook or commenting on the post below.