FINDING HOPE
IN THE MIDST OF GRIEF
Grief is a common experience for all of us. Sorrow can come suddenly as when we lose a loved one or possessions of importance to us. Then also, it can be the results of a long process such as divorce, broken relationships and lost friends. Regardless, there are certain emotions common to any grief we experience and we need to work out our emotions to prevent lasting damage to our soul and body. How should a believer in Jesus, a follower of Christ react when he is in deep grief? For grief will impact both our physical and spiritual health if we do not deal with it in the right way.
PAIN:
Grief will cause sorrow, anguish, and a broken heart. When sorrow comes do not stop the flow of tears for there is healing in them. David wrote,“I am weary with my groaning; every night I flood my bed; I drench my couch with my tears. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows old because of all my adversaries.” (Psalm 6:6,7)
My experience has been that as I weep and pray, the tears bring comfort. Our heavenly Father keeps a record of all our tears and He comforts us in our sorrow. If the grief is due to our mistakes and sins, we find forgiveness as we pray to Him. If it is due to others who are causing us grief, we should give the situation over to Jesus to be taken care of, although sometimes it is quite a struggle to do so. And if the sorrow is due to losing someone or something of importance to us, we should cry to God to help us to love Him more than the things we have lost.
DEPRESSION:
It is very difficult to keep from becoming depressed during a time of deep grief. We feel alone, that no one knows the trouble we are in, or cares about us. This is the time to immerse ourselves in the Psalms.
I believed, therefore I said, "I was greatly afflicted." I said in my haste, "All men are liars." What will I give to Yahweh for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of Yahweh. Psalm 116:10-13
Since God is our help and guide, and the supplier of all we need, we must turn to him for comfort. We must not let ourselves become depressed, for depression is believing Satan’s lie that God has forgotten us and rejected us. The cure for depression is to become active in helping others who need comfort and support and to praise the name of Jesus.
ANGER:
Anger is a common emotion when grief comes. Often our anger is directed at God for letting the event happen. “Why Me?” is our cry. “Father, could You not have prevented the cause for my grief?” The answer is that He could and it is proper to ask God why it happened. What we must not do is let the anger simmer in our hearts, for then Satan will use it to drive a wedge between us and our heavenly Father.
THE REASON WHY:
If we will earnestly pray and seek God’s will He will reveal the reason “Why?” Some reasons why God allows troubles and sorrows in our lives are:
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To make us dependent upon Him rather than upon ourselves or others. Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11) When we have plenty we forget this prayer and God’s ability to answer it.
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To make us call upon God in our day of trouble.God says, “Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” (Psalm 50:15)
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To make us realize we need one another. God’s ultimate goal for all of us is to experience and demonstrate genuine love. Love is built on a recognition of mutual need and a joy in giving to that need. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
To remind us that life is short. Life is like a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Then there is eternity that is without end. The purpose of this brief life is to prepare for eternity. “Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,” (Hebrews 9:27)
To discover what is important in life. During a time of disaster, we realize that relationships are more important than things - especially our relationship with God through belief in His Son. Paul said, “...I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8)
To remind us of the curse of sin. When God created the earth, it was a beautiful paradise, but man’s sin brought a curse upon the earth and the freedom for Satan to kill and destroy through such things as storms and floods. Satan’s ability to do this is documented in the Bible. (See Job chapter one.)
To show God’s power to restore. God’s strength is perfected in our weakness. He looks for opportunities to demonstrate His blessing. “For the eyes of Yahweh run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him...” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction,  through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which works in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer. (2 Corinthians 1:3-6 WEB)
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Created June 1999
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All Scriptures on this page are from The World English Bible (WEB)
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