Psalm 42:7 One of the most misinterpreted and misunderstood words is grief. For the sake of us all being on the same page, we must recognize this as deep sorrow, and even more so, as a celebration. Of course, grief is usually attached to someone or something that has been lost, so the thought of grief being a celebration can be hard to comprehend.
When I'm grieving over a loss, what I'm actually doing is celebrating my understanding. It's important not to confuse grief and celebration as two opposite reactions, because the two work hand-in-hand to further understanding. This is evident in funerals that seem to be filled with smiles and laughter, just as much as tears. The pain of the loss is there, but so is the realization of how much the person meant to us.
We can rob ourselves of the understanding when we decide to grieve in the way our society expects us to. Assuming that grief is void of emotion is just as wrong as assuming emotion is void of grief. And, just as our emotions can run in unexpected patterns, so must our grief. Unfortunately, people will mistake spiritual maturity with controlled emotions, and therefore believe in an imaginary timeline for grieving, and even more so, celebrating. How many times have you felt pressure to "get over" what ever loss you experienced because you were afraid people would think you're throwing a pity party? How often do you restrain your celebration for an achievement for fear of being perceived as prideful? These are both false displays of humility.
If you want to walk the narrow road, walk with the certainty that the pain is to come with the loss, but the grief in the celebration will lead to deeper understanding. This makes it possible for there to be joy in suffering.
