Compound grief is when you have more than one loss at a time, and grief is compounded, or stacked. When a person suffers more than one loss, grief can be complicated and remain unresolved, being too much for one person to cope with.
I was reminded of this struggle last week when someone contacted me after reading my post about grief ambush. This person had experienced the loss of an adult son seven years ago, and then her husband three years later. Though the deaths were three years apart, she never allowed herself to fully grieve the loss of her son, when her husband died suddenly. Four years later, she is finally having to address her grief. As we talked, she stated that, “If God knows I’m hurting over the loss of my child, why take my husband?” For her, the pain is real and the compound grief is almost unbearable.
I wish I could say that compound grief is rare, but unfortunately it is not. Many families have been devastated by the Coronavirus, losing more than one family member. As we well know, the loss of one family member is enough to turn your world upside down. For those experiencing multiple losses, the struggles are even more complicated and can remain unresolved for years, like the woman who lost her son and her husband three years apart.
The encouragement I gave her, and the encouragement I give you is found in 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” There is nothing you are going through that you cannot cast on the Lord!
Please pray for this friend of mine who is struggling with her compound losses and trying to confront her grief, and pray for those you know who may be struggling with similar situations.
MB
GEC (Grief Education Center) 