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This week, Melanie will be giving the third message in the series, where we explore grief in ourselves and in the Bible.

Related Topics: acceptance, compassion, death, growth, healing, loss, sadness, spiritual practice, struggle, suffering, vulnerability | More Messages from Melanie Griffin | Download Audio

From Series: "Bottled Up "

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on our daily lives. We have been forced to take on additional responsibilities, or give up activities we enjoy. We have been separated from one another, and denied human touch. Some of us feel isolated in our homes, and others long for time away from stressful home environments. Some of us are bearing the unspeakable grief of losing loved ones. Others are experiencing financial hardship. None of us knows what the future brings. Unsurprisingly, studies show that the pandemic has contributed to a significant worsening of mental health for many people, and the full impact is as yet unknown. We each deal with difficult circumstances in our own way. But whether we tend towards being emotionally expressive or self-restrained, we all experience emotions such as anger, grief, anxiety, and disappointment. How should we—as followers of Jesus who want to become better people—deal with such feelings? How can we respond to life’s challenges with both authenticity and self-control? How can we embrace our identity as emotional beings, while also engaging in practices that help us to change and grow? Through this series, we will explore what Scripture has to say about a range of emotions, and will look to Jesus as our example. In addition, we will hear from community members who—like all of us—have wrestled with these emotions.