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No magic formula for coping with grief
LELAND ACKER
Journalism is a great profession to have. I get to meet people

and tell their stories to our readers. It's something that gives me great joy.

However, there are some parts to this job that really shake me and turn my stomach into knots. These moments happen when I have to cover a story about a local tragedy.

Such was the case last week when I was informed of the tragic accident that claimed the life of Ashley Briley.

I'm not sure why her death affected me the way it did. I didn't know her personally, nor do I know her family that well.

Maybe it was the fact that I knew her family would take this tragic loss hard. Perhaps it was the interviews with the highway patrolmen who investigated the accident.

It always has something to do with the fact that whenever someone as young as Ashley passes, we are faced with our own mortality.

Ashley's tragic death sent ripples throughout the Rusk community. It seems anyone you talk to knew her and had great things to say about her.

Undoubtably many people are mourning her loss this week.

The thing about grief is that there is no way to magically wash it away, no instant healing formula.

Sure, we are told to just "focus on God," or to remember that our loved one "is present with the Lord," but that does not erase the pain of knowing that they are not here with us.

Psalm 77:1-2 says, "I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice, and He gave ear unto me. In the day of my trouble... my soul refused to be comforted."

There are times when the pain and grief is so intense that we can not be comforted. Nevertheless, the psalmist writes, "I cried out unto God with my voice, and He gave ear to me."

He cried out to God and God listened to Him. God not only hears our cries to Him, He knows how we feel. He not only knows our feelings, He empathizes (Hebrews 4:15-16). How? Because He experienced the same things we experience.

Jesus experienced the loss of several dear friends and family members during His life on earth. Tradition teaches that Joseph (his stepfather) died before His ministry began. Jesus was told the news of His cousin, friend and preceding prophet, John the Baptist being beheaded. He wept in John 11 when Mary and Martha took Him to Lazarus' grave. He knows our pain and sorrow.

How does this help during a time of grief? Psalm 77:10- 11 says, "I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High, I will remember the works of the LORD."

It helps to remember the good times God has blessed you with. It also helps to remember that God, who is all powerful, can heal a broken heart like He healed the crippled man by the pool of Bethesda. 1 Corinthians 15:54 says death is swallowed up in victory and Isaiah 25:8 says the Lord will one day wipe away all tears. He will comfort you in your time of grief, just trust Him. God heals and He will heal the collective ache in the community's heart as we mourn Ashley's death. chreporter@mediactr.com