Suitcase of Sorrow
6. Wall Up and Never Trust Again.
(Part Three of Series: “Baggage”)
B. God’s Approach to Grieving Leads to Healing.
Learning To Live Free and Travel Light
1. Feel Your Feelings and Express Them.
Theme Verse:
Matt. 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your
souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
I.
Two Ways to Grieve Losses
A. Society’s Way, Which Lacks Hope.
B. God’s Way, Which is Hope-Filled.
1 Thess. 4:13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be
uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not
grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
II. A Better Kind of Grieving
A. Society’s Approach Leads to Despair.
1. Stop Feeling Bad and Bury Our Feelings.
The words, “Jesus wept,” speak volumes about grief
management.
2. Do Not Just Replace the Loss, Review the Loss.
To recover from pain, we have to face it.
3. God’s Approach is to Grieve in Community.
4. Only the Holy Spirit, Called the Comforter, Will Heal.
5. God’s Approach Says We Can Still Express Our
Regrets.
Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live
at peace with everyone.
6. Christians Are Capable of Recovering From Any
Loss that Comes Their Way.
2. Replace Losses, and Fix the Pain Quickly.
If we make Christ our treasure and not something else, we will
never have reason to fear, because He is invulnerable and will
never leave us.
3. Grieve Alone.
Conclusion:
4. Give it Time. Time Heals, In and Of Itself.
How Will We Choose to Grieve? Using Society’s Approach or
God’s Approach?
5. If There is Unfinished Business, Accept a Life of
Regret; Nothing Can Be Done.
Suitcase of Sorrow – Discussion Guide

Ice Breaker: What is one food you would never
want to taste again?
1) 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NIV) Brothers and sisters,
we do not want you to be uninformed about those
who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like
the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
-
Have you ever felt so weighed down by
grief that you fell into despair? Describe
what you experienced.
- Has hopelessness from a loss, not
necessarily a death, ever challenged your
faith?
2) John 11:35 (NIV) Jesus wept.
-
Tell about a time that you buried your
sorrow.
-
Have you ever been able to fully feel your
feelings of grief over losses in the past?
-
Tell about an unsuccessful attempt to
replace a loss.
3) Isaiah 57:18 (NIV) I have seen their ways, but I
will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort
to Israel’s mourners…
-
How have you been able to enlist the help
of “The Comforter,” the Holy Spirit, to
work through the grieving process with
you?
- Have you received the Holy Spirit?