Healthy Grief as Defined by Kubler-Ross: The Story of Job in the Bible

HEALTHY GRIEF
Author:
Date of Submission:
A critical analysis of the story of Job reveals a state of movement from one state to another. Job appears happy and contented in the initial phase, and in the final state, he has his happiness restored after undergoing a harrowing grieving process. The story of Job has a remarkable resemblance to the five stages of grief as illustrated by Kubler-Ross. According to Kubler-Ross, a person suffering from a terminal illness undergoes a significant change, starting from a state of shock where the dreams and hopes are shattered. In this state, the individual’s first reaction is denial and disbelief (Kubler-Ross, 1969). In the Bible, Job also undergoes a phase of utter disbelief after his servants inform him that he has lost his sons and all of his possessions. He initially suffers from ulcers, but his reaction to his wife demonstrates that his answer seems to take the perspective of a language of popular faith (Walter, 1981). This stage seems to resemble the second stage of grief as postulated by Kapler-Ross. However, a further reading of the book reveals that Job has not fully integrated his sufferings in his life. He has just encountered a devastating suffering that has robbed him of all his belongings, but he finds solace in a pious proverb that he seems to have learnt from religion. This particular kind of faith resembles that of many African societies such as the Yoruba, who accept that God has the discretion to do anything to man because He is God. However, a comparison of Job’s real situation with the model of Kubler-Ross reveals that his reaction is a correspondence to the state of denial. Job seems to accept his loss, but deep down he appears not to admit that he is being hurt.
According to Kubler-Ross, the denial stage is followed by a stage where the patient experiences internal conflict, loneliness, meaningless and guilt. These emotions eventually precipitate a sense of anger. The dying person begins blaming other people for their imminent death in a similar manner that an emotionally wounded individual blames others for the hurt that is destroying their souls. This compares well to the story of Job where his three friends visit him and stay by him for seven days without any form of conversation taking place between them. It is plausible that Job is undergoing a state of loneliness, in which no person knows how to comfort him. His emotions take a heavy toll on him and his doubts regarding his fate continue to trouble his soul. Eventually, his anger flares up, and this takes a close resemblance to Kapler-Ross stage of the grieving process (Walter, 1981). After the utilizing the language of faith similar with many other religions, including Islam and Hindu, Job moves on to the language of doubt. The story states that he curses the day he was bo...