We are approaching the end of our spiritual study of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ “Five Stages of Grief.” To appreciate the final stage, we have been trimming the edges off of the myths and expectations of acceptance that can create additional burdens of grief.

“Acceptance” is the last of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ “Five States of Grief.” It is different in one way from all previous stages (denial, anger, bargaining and depression).

Elijah, the great Old Testament prophet, is exhausted, paranoid, malnourished and close to losing his faith (1Kings, Chapters 18-19 NIrV). He is living in the back of a cave at the foot of Mount Sinai to avoid any more demands of faith and discipleship.

His name and deeds made him No. One on King Ahab’s list of the “Worst Troublemakers in Israel” (1Kings 18:17 TEV).

You’ve played those games, haven’t you, where you identify one word that may not belong with the others on a list? For example, which word (if any) does not belong on this list: a) blue b) yellow c) twelve d) orange? (Answer: twelve).

Depression is the fourth stage of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ “Five stages of Grief.” Like previous stages, its bad reputation can stifle anyone’s admission that they are depressed.

We have been exploring bargaining, the third stage of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ “Five Stages of Grief.” We look today at some Biblical people who bargained with God and at God’s response to them.

The third stage of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ “Five Stages of Grief” is bargaining.

The second stage of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ “Five Stages of Grief” is anger. It follows the previous stage of “denial,” the cushion-like “defense mechanism” that protects us from overwhelming trauma until we are able to deal with it.

We are concluding our study of denial, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s first stage of the grief process.

From the Pulpit: There he stands before God in complete denial. He has just asked Jesus, “What good thing must I do to receive eternal life?” And Jesus has told him: “Keep the commandments.” Surprisingly, he replies, “What commandments?”

From the Pulpit: After reading this title, you might be thinking: “Oh, no. Is this another one of those depressing articles on ‘Death and Dying?’ ”

From the Pulpit

Well, they think that they finally have him this time. You remember the scene where the religious authorities interrupt Jesus’ seminar in the Temple by bringing in a woman they have entrapped in the act of adultery (John 7:53-8:11).

It is Scripture put to music. We know it as the hymn, “I know whom I have believed,” with the words and music by Daniel W. Whittle and James McGranahan in 1883.