In thinking more about yesterday's post I had to question just what the difference was between advance mourning and outright worry. After all, who among us can add a day to his life with worry? So is advance mourning similarly wasteful?In the end, I came to a tentative conclusion that worry involved anxiety and fear about the future. It almost seems to be a distrust of the destined events laid out before oneself. Advance mourning, however, seemed to possess an inherent trust and acceptance of what lies ahead. The very idea that one is mourning seems to imply a direct acceptance of the consummation of the aforementioned destiny.
Therefore, I declare advance mourning to be healthy and holistic, while worry remains a pastime reserved for the outer rings of Hell itself (or the Mid-South exurbs, whichever comes first).
Objections (and plauditory comments) pertaining to this little theory are welcome. In fact, I am OK with them, in advance. No worries...
I've often wondered, when Paul says to the Thessalonian believers, "I did not want you to mourn like those with no hope," just what it would look like to "mourn WITH hope." He doesn't really go there.
ReplyDeleteYou raise an interesting point in trying to dissect mourning, anxiety, worry and grief as emotional strands. Personally, I think a key factor is surrendered-ness (there's a Christanese word!). Jesus certainly demonstrated significant grief and anticipated mourning at times...Lazarus...Gethsemane...but He modeled a surrenderedness. A "God, I really don't like where this train is headed...this hurts and I'd really be open to any bypass routes we can take. BUT, when it's all said and done: Your will, Your Kingdom Father."
In our Life Group last year we experienced multiple cases of dying family members, 3 miscarriages, then broken up with multiple births, new jobs, and joyful surprises. It could be tiring to go from lows to highs so rapidly. It also made some (me) uncomfortable to realize just how little we can say or do to "fix it" when the time of healthy, needed mourning arrives. All I could do is buy a ticket to come along and look out the window for a time.
Good thougths and ponderings, Kyle.