ToRejoiceOrToWeep

The month of March has been filled with plenty of bad weather and for some of us a lot of bad news. Just this past week I have had two friends lose unborn children to miscarriages. Several brothers and sisters in Christ, close to our family, have passed from this life all too suddenly. Even the daily news brings images of earthquakes and continuing wars that tear at our emotions. And in these circumstances, we hurt, and we grieve. Truly, no person who has ever lived escapes grief. For some the pain is from personal loss. Sometimes we grieve for the pain or loss in the lives of others. No matter why we grieve, we acknowledge an emotion deeply understood by every human and confirmed by what we read in the Scriptures.

Even our Lord Jesus, was described as a man of sorrows, intimately acquainted with grief. His grief was not merely a sympathetic awareness of others' pain but a profound experience of His own. Jesus felt pain due to the great evils that plague this world. As He approached Jerusalem, the city of promise, He lamented its corruption, saying:
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!" (Luke 13:34).

Jesus' grief was rooted in His compassion for a fallen world. As He moved towards the cross on Calvary, to offer Himself for our sins, He noticed women weeping for Him and said, "But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children" (Luke 23:28). Our Lord's grief was grounded in His love for us.

In our own experiences, grief often accompanies personal loss. C.S. Lewis' spoke of this in his book "A Grief Observed" after the loss of his wife, reminding us of this very human predicament. The loss of loved ones, friends, and comrades brings sorrow, yet we must take care to ensure our grief does not turn into bitterness. Jesus' grief never led to sin, and we pray ours won't either.

For it can be tempting to try and stuff grief into a corner of our minds to forget the pain. Or go in the opposite direction to a dark place in our hearts that leads to anger and bitterness. Remember that grief is a legitimate emotion that can lead us to a place of hope in the compassion and love of our Lord, who understands our pain and walks with us through it.

One thing I know from personal experience is that it’s not good to just isolate ourselves when we are grieving hoping the pain will go away. We often need some space but allowing those that love and care for you can bring great comfort. Scripture encourages this. “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” Romans 12:15

So, if you are hurting, reach out to someone you know. If you know someone hurting, reach out to them. This how we love as Christ loved us.

Loving Father, I pray today that those who are grieving may find rest in You. Be their rock, salvation, and fortress so that they will not be shaken by any assaults from the evil one. Empower them each day to trust in you, to pour their heart out to you, for you are our refuge. Help them recognize any unacknowledged anger and give them courage to express all the complicated emotions that come with grief and loss. Lead us to them to show Your love and help them find strength. We lift them up in the name of your Son, our Savior, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness”. (Lamentations 3:21-23)


Credit: Ron Kelley