Entering the “mourning room” is difficult. It hurts in the mourning room. There is a heaviness in our inner being–I call it my heart. Nothing helps much. I feel sad and alone. I wish I wasn’t there. I wish the reason I am there hadn’t happened.
I’m no longer in the mourning room, but I’ve been there. When I was in the mourning room, sitting there alone, I really wasn’t alone, for our Comforter was there with me. I sensed His presence many times. Sometimes, though, I didn’t sense it. He was there, I just didn’t feel it. Jesus promised the Comforter would come when He left this earth.
I’m thinking about people I know who are in the mourning room. One family a year ago this week, lost their little boy in a drowning accident. He was almost three, although he didn’t celebrate that birthday, for he was in the presence of the Lord. My sister is in the mourning room. Her husband of sixty-some years is no longer here. I have a friend who has lost her only sister. She is in the mourning room. My nephew is entering the mourning room soon. His wife is dying. We work with those who mourn in GriefShare where they sit in the mourning room.
We are not assigned this room for the rest of our lives. We will move out of the room at some time–just not right now. A little later after the mourning is complete. One author said we should get comfortable in the mourning room, for we will be there for some time.
We don’t want to stay in the mourning room. We don’t want to hurt. We want to not feel so much pain. But that is part of being there. We are mourning.
Do you know someone who is in the mourning room? Be patient with them. They must process their grief and it takes time and work. Pray for them. They need you to pray. Sometimes, they are not able to. Sit with them in the mourning room. You don’t have to say anything. Just be there. Some have to stay in the room longer than others. At some point, they will be able to leave the mourning room. They need you to allow them to grieve. One day, they will have joy. Just not today.
The mourning room. One author called it a “strange land”.
One who has journeyed in a strange land cannot return unchanged. C.S. Lewis
If you are in the mourning room, take heart. One day you will move out of the room. If you haven’t been in the mourning room, you will one day. If you know someone in the mourning room, sit with them awhile. They need you. Our Lord is with you.
I did not like the mourning room. It was hard to believe I would ever be healed from such sadness. But I did let myself grieve. And I can truthfully say, God healed my broken heart and smiling came again. I still miss my dear ones.
I didn’t like the mourning room either and like you, though, God healed my broken heart. And like James Miller says, “Once you release them from earthly time, you can embrace them in eternity.”