Dealing With Grief, Pastor David Willets

[ Aspen Park's Personnel Team, in conjunction with our Transition Team,  asked Pastor David Willets to preach in view of a call to be our Transitional Pastor.  Following the sermon, Bro. David Willets was approved by secret ballot vote. ]

Pastor David Willets shares his personal story and speaks about the many forms of grief and how we may recover.  After dealing with personal loss, and through his work as a grief counselor, Bro. David Willets has a great deal of experience helping others through painful periods in their lives.

Grief comes when someone or something significant dies, and often a major change can be felt keenly like a death. In this way, a church can also experience grief and upset, just like an individual. Following the right steps, however, can serve to make these transitions easier to take.  First, you must identify the sources of grief. Second, you must face your pain; often, we put off dealing with our pain, only for it to come back another day, stronger and more complicated. Third, you need to find someone who doesn't mind listening and talk it out. Don't try to suffer your feelings alone. If friends or family aren't an option, seek a counselor.

If you remember four basic principles, sourced from the Bible, you are equipped for any difficulty in life that comes your way. There is no problem too large for God to solve. These principles are:

1.  God knows everything

2. We don't know everything

3. God is always working things out for your good

4. The best option is to trust God

Through these Biblical principles, we learn that even though you can't always see it, you can have faith that God will work things together for your good; Trusting in God and his plan will always be the best outcome, even if it seems difficult. God knows your your circumstances. Give yourself over to Him, and He will make good out of even the worst situations.