How To Initiate Recovery From Any Loss

Joshua 1:2
“Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them —to the Israelites.

Losses hurt us. It is not easy to survive the loss. Loss of valuable gadgets. Loss of employment. Loss of status and reputation. Whatever loss is too much to bear. Worst of all is the loss of a loved one. But since no one is guaranteed a loss-free life, we must learn how to recover from any loss that may, unfortunately, visit us. How to initiate recovery from any loss!

Losses occur because of natural events we can’t control, like aging, wear and tear, etc. Losses can be caused by people unintentionally. Losses can be a result of criminal activity. Losses can be caused by mischievous jealousy people. There are innumerable causes of loss. What is sure is that whichever way the loss occurs, it hurts and we need to survive from that loss. How to initiate recovery from any loss!

Moses died after leading Israel for forty years. A leader for forty years is highly attached even to those who hate him. Israelites had an attachment to Moses. When Moses died it did hurt the people. This was a major loss and God was instrumental in helping His people recover from this loss. First, God prepared them by asking Moses to tell them that he is about to depart, Deuteronomy 31:28-29. We need to be prepared for losses. Preparation does not lessen the pain but helps absorb some amount of shock. Even when breaking bad news to a person, preparation is critical to enable shock absorption and not pain reduction. How to initiate recovery from any loss!

Deuteronomy 34:8
The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.

Secondly, the Israelites had a full mourning period. Full mourning process of thirty days according to their culture. Hebrews mourned for thirty days or less. Other cultures mourn differently. God allowed the full mourning process to take place. Mourning involves wailing, crying, remembering the person, a memorial of sorts, talking about the life the person lived, re-living the lost life, singing, speeches, encouragement, plans ahead after this death, etc. Different communities do it differently. God allowed the mourning process as part of the healing from loss. How to initiate recovery from any loss!

That formal process to allow mourning is important if we are to move on after loss. Do not ignore the need to grieve over a favorite pet or lost toy or an expensive gadget that is stolen or accidentally destroyed. Grieve that loss. Share carefully on social media, if you must. Get friends who can listen to you relive the memories and your wishes that the loss should not have happened. Tell someone how that relationship that is now gone meant everything to you. Talk about it, it is part of mourning for anyone, anything, and everything. How to initiate recovery from any loss!

In our text of consideration today, God appears to Joshua the new leader of Israelites after Moses has been fully mourned. God tells Joshua that they must now move on from the death of Moses to new plans that must be implemented. God begins from the lingering loss and says Moses my servant is dead. God knows that is where they are stuck. God begins where they are stuck. Then God tells Joshua, that while it’s true that Moses has died, Joshua and the people must move on. Plans that were in place before death struck, must be resumed after full mourning is complete. How to initiate recovery from any loss!

After mourning whoever or whatever you lost, move on. Though the pain lingers, move on. Though the energy is low, move on. Get busy with new goals and aims. Be busy on something else. Being busy will distract the mind from being self-destructive. How to initiate recovery from any loss!

May our good God save us from losses, and if they must happen, may He strengthen us to be able to bear and quickly recover and move on. May whatever loss we experience turn out to be a launching pad to greater blessings, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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