Loss hits our brains too.
We can’t seem to focus. We can’t concentrate like we used to. Even our memory is not what it was. We can wonder if something is wrong.
I would like to share with you a chapter from Walking with God Through Grief: Devotions and Affirmations for Grieving Hearts that addresses this issue. I hope you find this devotional helpful and healing.
I CAN’T CONCENTRATE
I’m having trouble focusing.
I can’t seem to concentrate.
Am I losing it? Is something wrong with me?
Loss hits our whole being – body, soul, and spirit. This includes, of course, our minds.
We’re not as sharp mentally. Focus is more difficult. Brain fog and mental fatigue are common. Our memory is affected. All this can be frustrating, confusing, and scary.
We’re grieving.
Some days we feel like we don’t have what it takes for the challenges ahead. That’s okay. We don’t need to always be at our best.
In fact, how can we be at our best right now? Impossible.
Thankfully, God never changes. He is perfect. He is always at His best. And He is at work, in us and for us.
Paul said it this way in 2 Corinthians 9:8:
And God is able to make all grace abound to you,
so that having all sufficiency in all things at all
times, you may abound in every good work.
Let’s consider parts of this verse, highlighted in italics below for emphasis.
All grace. God continually pours out on us His undeserved favor and unconditional love. He gives us power for daily living.
All sufficiency. God’s grace to us is always enough. More than enough. We are not sufficient for this day, but He is. Christ lives in us. He is our sufficiency.
In all things at all times. There is no situation or circumstance where God’s grace is not sufficient for us. He is always sufficient, at all times and everywhere.
Christ is at work in and through us right now, this day, this very moment. Even while grieving, we can abound in every good work.
This is not about us and our ability. It’s about Him and His all-encompassing sufficiency.
Paul’s message is clear. If we have Christ, we have all we need today. Everything we could possibly need is in Him.
Our focus is not what it was. We can’t concentrate as we once did. That’s okay. Now is not forever. As we embrace grief and express it in healthy ways, we will heal, recover, and even grow.
And as we heal, we will discover all along the way that Christ’s grace, love, and power are more than sufficient for our daily needs.
Healing takes time. Be patient with yourself.
Fear not. Bring your cares and concerns to the One who knows all, the One who created and sustains you. He is sufficient for everything you will face today.
And God is able to make all grace abound to you,
so that having all sufficiency in all things at all
times, you may abound in every good work.
(2 Corinthians 9:8, ESV)
Lord, I accept that grief is affecting my brain.
I choose to trust You with these mental challenges.
Fill me with Yourself and empower me to live for You today.
I rest in You. You are sufficient for my every need.
In Jesus’ name…
Affirmation: This loss is affecting my mind too. Since I am loved and accepted by Christ, I will practice accepting myself.
The above is an excerpt from Walking with God Through Grief, which is part of the God and Grief Series.
Question: Have you had some focus and concentration issues since your loss? What was that like for you? Please feel free to share using the comment section below.
