Grief is something personal and unique. Some feel it very deeply,
while others feel nothing at all and wait tirelessly for some sort of emotion
to surface. While no experience is quite the same and everyone processes loss
differently, we all go through varying levels of grief throughout a lifetime.
Currently, I am in season in which many people close to me are
suffering great loss. Whether you find yourself in a place of brokenness right
now or not, I would like to share a word of encouragement about the promises of
God in the wake of tragedy.
1. God is ever-present. You are not alone.
In our darkest moments, it’s easy to fall into the trap of
believing the lie that we are alone. While people may express sympathies and
even provide words of encouragement, there are still many moments that can feel
empty and silent. While it’s easy to slip into isolation during these times,
Scripture offers a promise that is far better than handling grief alone. As
Jesus states in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest.” God does not ignore or abandon His
people. While we are not exempt from tragedy, God promises to bring peace to us
when we seek Him.
2. God is steady. You can lean on Him.
Life is fragile, and the world is constantly changing. Some
days are harder than others, and in times of loss we may long for the simple
comfort of routine and constancy. It is written in Isaiah 40:28, “Have you not
known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the
ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is
unsearchable.” While it may feel as though we are drowning in the pain and
heartache of this world, God is the unchanging Father that we can lean on when
everything else feels like it’s withering away.
3. Being weak is okay because God can be your strength.
“Stay strong” can be one of the most frustrating phrases for
a grieving person. While some would suggest that grief is supposed to provoke a
sense of self-reliance and internal strength, I would argue the opposite.
Rather, grief pushes us to a place of brokenness in which our own strength is
not sufficient. In 2 Corinthians 12:8,
Paul receives a word from the Lord that states, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.” While feeling weak is definitely not pleasurable, there is an
underlying promise in our weakness that is beautiful. As evidenced in this
text, God takes our greatest pain and promises to replace it with His strength.
4. There is redemption. Your sorrow is not
wasted.
Grief and loss are struggles nobody wants to face.
Nonetheless, God promises to redeem and give purpose to our pain. In Romans 5:3-5, it states “Not only that, but we rejoice in our
sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces
character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame,
because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who
has been given to us.” While the process of grief is hard, God uses it to
develop who we are. It becomes a part of our story. When we suffer deeply and
choose to surrender our pain to Him, He promises to make our pain into something
beautiful.
Although life may seem unmanageable and God may seem far
away, take hold to the truth that you are not alone. God is with you. He sees
you. He can be the solid rock on which you lean. He can be the strength when
you feel weak. He can turn your sorrow and mourning into something beautiful.
It is my prayer that those of you who are currently feeling overcome with grief
will believe these truths and sense God’s presence in your life more now than
ever before.
Until next time,
Tamara
No comments:
Post a Comment