I recently was in a seminar as a friend of mine shared about the importance of grieving loss. It was with a group of pastors when Mike shared that it’s okay to give yourself permission to grieve.
It struck me, in my travels, I come across many pastors in which I hear of their hardships and difficulties. Pastoring today is a very lonely occupation. I hear Pastors tell me that they don’t know who they can share their toughest heart-aches with. They wonder who they can trust to be vulnerable with.
When my friend shared that you need to give yourself permission to grieve it hit me. That it is a message I need to deliver to Pastors. I am in contact with them on a daily basis. Often pastors talk about the grief of others and they may even encourage people in their grief but perhaps they are hardest on themselves. Too often they do not give themselves permission to grieve disappointments or loss in their lives.
We read all throughout Scripture of the importance of going to the Lord in prayer as well as how important it is to have someone close with whom to share your honest and transparent hardships and heartaches. Psalms 34:18 reads; “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
Perhaps it’s the profession of the Clergy (which is a vocational Calling) and maybe even the fact that it is predominantly a male dominated profession (though I don’t believe this is limited to only men) but all of us must come to a place when we need to ask for help in a safe space; sharing about those most intimate concerns that weigh heavy upon clergy.
What is it today that weighs heaviest on you? Who do you have that you can trust to share your most difficult and heartbreaking concerns? Have you given yourself permission to grieve?
The following are a few verses you may want to consider as you think about this particular topic while at the same time giving yourself permission to grieve.
