Evangelicals Now
<< May 1998 >>

Pathway Through Grief

Ten accounts of people's experience following bereavement reviewed by Carol Gulliford and Barbara Morland

Pathway Through Grief
Edited by Jean Watson
Christina Press. 189 pages. £6.99
ISBN 1 901387 05 4

This book makes very sad reading. It recounts in some detail the awful trauma suffered by ten people following the death of their respective spouses.
Some bereavements were unexpected. One was due to suicide and others followed prolonged illness. Each person speaks frankly of feelings of shock, numbness, loneliness, anger, confusion, loss of identity and adjusting.
One man, in his grief and longing for his wife to recover, took Scriptures out of context; believing them to mean what he wished them to mean; seeing coincidences as confirmation of his interpretation that she would get better. That must have made the pain of her passing even worse. He says he did not feel let down by God. It's hard to understand why not.
Sheila, in the depth of her despair, found 'that the truths which I had learned in happier times started to become real to me. My security was in Christ, not in any human person, however close.'
Those going through bereavement might identify with many emotions expressed. Like the writers, they will undoubtedly find help in the support of friends, keeping busy, talking about their loved one, giving themselves time and not expecting the pain to be over quickly.
It was disappointing that Christians did not find the Lord Jesus Christ himself and the good news of the gospel more sustaining. Oh, how we need to get a firm grasp of the truths of the gospel in the good times. To get a grip on God's sovereignty, goodness, love and wisdom - and to sort out how to interpret the Scriptures.

Carol Gulliford and Barbara Morland