YOUNG PEOPLE ASK -What If My Sibling Has Committed Suicide?

Coping With Grief

No two people grieve in precisely the same way.  Some shed tears openly, and there's nothing wrong with that.  The Bible reports that David "wept with a very great weeping" after the death of his son Amnon.  (2 Samuel 13:36)  Even Jesus "gave way to tears"  when he saw the distress caused by the death of his friend Lazarus. -John 11:33-35. 

On the other hand, some do not mourn immediately-especially when death has occurred suddenly.  "My feelings seemed frozen," recalls Karen.  "I pretty much stopped functioning for a while."  Such a reaction is quite common when a sibling takes his or her life.  "Suicide is traumatic," Dr. White told Awake!, and you have to deal with the trauma before the grief.  Some professional caregivers try to get survivors to cry and mourn when they're not ready.  They're still numb with shock." 

Coming to terms with your sibling's death will take time, and that's understandable considering what has happened.  "Our family is like a vase that has been shattered and then glued back together," says Chris.  "
We now seem more prone to 'crack' under  softer pressure."   To help you cope with the situation, try the following:  

* Keep a list of comforting Bible passages and refer to them at least each day. -Psalm 94:19. 

* Reach out to a compassionate confidant. Talking things out may well lighten your load. -Proverbs 17:17. 

* Meditate on the Bible's promise of a resurrection. - John 5:28, 29. 

You might also find that keeping a journal -at least for a time-will help you put your grief in perspective.  

Be assured that "God is greater than our hearts and knows all things." ( 1 John 3:20)  He knows better than any human the factors and circumstances that may have contributed  to your sibling's distressed state. He also knows you - better than you know yourself.  (Psalm 139:1-3) Thus, you can be confident that he understands what you are going through.  When you grief seems overwhelming, recall the words of Psalm 55:22) "Throw your burden upon Jehovah himself, and he himself will sustain you. Never will he allow the righteous one to totter." 

Next time: IS HIV-SCREENED BLOOD SAFE? BY AWAKE WRITER IN NIGERIA

From the Awake! magazine