Renaissance Church NYC Suffering: We Go On
Dec 4, 2023
John Onwuchekwa reflects on a personal story of struggling with grief and anger. They share personal experiences of losing composure, finding hope in depression through Ecclesiastes, and the slippery nature of hope. The importance of walking alongside others in their grief is emphasized, along with the language and permission for expressing struggles found in Ecclesiastes. They also highlight personal experiences of heartache and the importance of patience in finding hope in the midst of tragedy.
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Mall Outburst Leads To Honest Admission
- John recounts angrily cussing out kids at a mall while nine months after his brother's death, then realizing he was not okay.
- His friends and wife recognized his unhealth and pushed him to admit it, leading to a month-long sabbatical.
Hopelessness, Not Tragedy, Ruins Us
- Reading Ecclesiastes helped John realize depression may not be solely caused by tragedy.
- He concluded that tragedy doesn't ruin us; hopelessness does.
Grief Is A Language To Learn
- Grief has no expiration and isn't a race to finish quickly.
- John reframes grief as a language to become fluent in, not a journey to complete.