Grief, Loss, and Gratitude in the Christian Life

Courtney Doctor talks with Whitney Pipkin and Wendy Alsup, two of her friends who have known deep grief. They talk about why grief can be so surprising, why God allows it, and how to talk to a friend who is grieving (hint: it’s better to listen). Whitney talks about why we shouldn’t rush through grief; it’s appropriate to rage against death! Wendy says that we can see our grief as our resistance to the effects of the Fall. Listen to this episode and be comforted that even if grief feels strange and disorienting, you are not alone. 

Recommended Resources:

• We Shall All Be Changed by Whitney Pipkin
• Companions in Suffering: Comfort for Times of Loss and Loneliness by Wendy Alsup

Related Content:

• What I Misunderstood About Grief
• Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop
• Grief Is Not an Enemy of Faith

Discussion Questions:

1. What personal experiences with loss have you (or those close to you) had? Or in what ways do you relate to feeling “immune” from loss?
2. How has experiencing suffering or loss changed you or your outlook on life?
3. How can believers grieve in ways that acknowledge the need to lament as well as maintain hope?
4. In what ways did this episode challenge you to be a better companion to someone walking through a season of suffering?
5. What Scriptures have comforted or ministered to you in hard seasons?
6. How did this conversation help you consider gratitude alongside grief and loss?

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