Cs Lewis A Grief Analysis

“What reason have we, except our own desperate wishes, to believe that God is, by any standard we can conceive, 'good'?Doesn't all the prima facie evidence suggest exactly the opposite? What have we to set against it?” (3). Clive Staples Lewis asserts and implores this question upon grieving the death of his beloved wife and friend, Helen Joy Davidman. Although CS Lewis is considered to be the greatest Christian theologian of the twentieth century, if not one of the most widely recognized of all time, Lewis inquires the validity of the faith he so desperately desires to believe when his wife’s parting appears counterintuitive to God’s presence, goodness, faithfulness, and love. In A Grief Observed, CS Lewis candidly describes his musings, longings, struggles, inquiries, anger, hope, confusion, and peace throughout his journey through grief after the loss of

his dearly loved wife.
Upon reading Lewis’ time of struggles and despair, one gains personal insight into the intensive and accusatory questioning within his relationship with Christ. Although Lewis one of the greatest Christian theologians of all time, with incredible knowledge and wisdom of God, he is still a man. Even though he is regarded as a man of great faith, he is still human. Mark 15:34 says, “And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’)”. Jesus, the Son of God who was fully man while remaining fully divine cried out this question during his crucifixion and acceptance of all of the sins of mankind. In his humanity, Jesus, the One who is perfect and flawless, and the Son who understood the Father better than anyone else struggled with the question of why God chose to forsake Him through this plan of salvation, prior to its fulfillment. Jesus shows us that it is ok for people to have questions and struggles in their faith. Even the one who knew everything went through some despair and questioning. What of David and Job? They both underwent many trials that they did not understand, and they both questioned God, even though they were considered to be righteous. Similarly, a struggle in the faith of a strong Christian indicates genuine humanity in addition to the strength of their weakness: the necessity for the dependency of Christ.
In addition to further understanding how a man of great spiritual wisdom and knowledge of God can inquiry and contest in his own faith, the reflection of CS Lewis’ genuine confessions of grief clarify its nature. The original nature of grief is rooted in longing desire and recollection. Lewis writes, “You tell me, 'she goes on.' But my heart and body are crying out,come back, come back. Be a circle, touching my circle on the plane of Nature. But I know this is impossible. I know that the thing I want is exactly the thing I can never get.” (2). CS Lewis struggles with the nature of grief, for believes that the time with his wife is forever in the past, and a time he will sorely and forever miss. Nor does Lewis initially find consolation in his faith, apparent in his assertion that “Heaven itself is a state where 'the former things have passed away” (3). CS Lewis expresses yearning, sorrow, anger, and despair in the recollection of the short time with his wife. According to Lewis, “grief still feels like fear” (4).The nature of grief is filled with much pain and despair, but it is rooted in fear. This fear is expressed in the painful the longing or regret of the past in addition to the apparent hopelessness or void in the future. The desperation to be reunited with a loved one, but afraid that eternal life is a jest and nothing awaits on the other side of life.
Moreover, by analyzing CS Lewis’ grief, one can deduce that grief is a continual process rather than an event.

“I might have said, 'He's got over it. He's forgotten his wife,' when the truth was, 'He remembers her better because he has partly got over it.'” (4). When analyzing Lewis’ discussion of grief, one should focus on his preconception of grief prior to his experience of loss. Prior to losing his wife, Lewis originally thought that grief was a time of extreme sorrow and anguish, but one that is eventually overcome and healed, as a barrier is overcome and conquered or an injury healed. After personally experiencing the death of Helen, Lewis begins to understand that it is a daily process of readjustment, not one of overcoming. Although healing and life can occur afterward, Lewis suggests that it cannot be the same. Nor would Lewis agree that the healing and peace of grief comes by forgetting the death and pain, rather, grief can only bring healing and peace once people accept the inevitable truth, let go of the past to a degree to move forward, and begin the journey with God into the stores of the

future.
A significant element of CS Lewis’ grieving process is Lewis’ experience with his colleagues and friends after Helen’s death. Although Lewis’ colleagues and friends intended their interactions to be both beneficial and comforting for Lewis, their console actually aggregated Lewis’ grief and appeared useless to him. While in mourning, Lewis was longing for his wife, and bitter that God had taken her away. By generalizing Lewis’ loss, potentially offering console too readily and quickly, and attempting to resolve Lewis’ pain, similar to Job’s friends’ console, Lewis pushed his intended comforters further away rather than drawing them close. Although CS Lewis knew that his colleagues and friends were kind and intended to speak in love, they offered little support to him. Offering a resolution to Lewis’ pain prematurely, albeit valid, demonstrated his ‘comforters’ ineptitude and ignorance. This proved to be detrimental rather than a positive influence because Lewis was treated as a problem in need of a solution, rather than a man in pain that needs a comforter to go through the pain with him. This lesson that can similarly be remembered, heeded, and applied to those comforting grievers today. One must be intentional, patient, loving, and willing to simply go through the pain of grief with those left behind.
“God has not been trying an experiment on my faith or love in order to find out their quality. He knew it already. It was I who didn't. In this trial He makes us occupy the dock, the witness box and the bench all at once. He always knew that my temple was a house of cards. His only way of making me realize that fact was to knock it down. …” (4). Although grief brings both fear, pain, and longing, God is still Lord and still works His goodness. Through the pain, God asks people to draw closer to Him, so that He can express more of Himself to them. Consequently, grievers will understand a further intimacy with the Lord, as they rely on Him in the midst of the pain.