02/10
The Journey Begins
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and
saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18
He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.
Psalm 147:3
saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18
He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.
Psalm 147:3
Everyone will experience grief in their life. This is something all of humanity shares. There is no getting around it or escaping grief because we live in a grief-filled world. The fact that we all share in grief does not make it any easier to walk through. You may have recently suffered a heartbreaking loss of some kind.
The feeling of loss, whatever the circumstances which led to it, can be hard to describe. The Psalmist described the feeling as being brokenhearted, crushed in spirit, and wounded. You may be able to relate to this. But even in the midst of the pain of loss, there can be renewed hope and a sense of peace which is difficult to explain and understand. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. He is close to you in this very moment, even if you don't feel Him.
The grief associated with loss marks a potential crossroads for all who experience it. On the other side of loss, there can be wise decisions or foolish decisions. A foolish decision, which is sadly all too common, is to move towards isolating yourself and begin to live in a walled existence, refusing to become emotionally invested so as to avoid the risk of ever experiencing this level of pain ever again. However, this type of detached living does nothing to heal our wounds, and it runs counter to the Christian principles we are called to lives of faith, hope, and love.
Instead, there is a better way to move forward through the process of grief. We can begin to draw closer to our creator when we realize the finite nature of life and rely even more heavily on God’s promise that He’ll gather His children back into His arms and heal their brokenness until they’re made whole again. We can also choose to do life together with other people instead of isolating ourselves from them. Let people who love you...love you. Let them encourage, support, and care for you. Don't reject them or push them away no matter how much you may feel like doing so. And most of all, decide in your heart right now that you will fix your eyes on Jesus.
The feeling of loss, whatever the circumstances which led to it, can be hard to describe. The Psalmist described the feeling as being brokenhearted, crushed in spirit, and wounded. You may be able to relate to this. But even in the midst of the pain of loss, there can be renewed hope and a sense of peace which is difficult to explain and understand. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. He is close to you in this very moment, even if you don't feel Him.
The grief associated with loss marks a potential crossroads for all who experience it. On the other side of loss, there can be wise decisions or foolish decisions. A foolish decision, which is sadly all too common, is to move towards isolating yourself and begin to live in a walled existence, refusing to become emotionally invested so as to avoid the risk of ever experiencing this level of pain ever again. However, this type of detached living does nothing to heal our wounds, and it runs counter to the Christian principles we are called to lives of faith, hope, and love.
Instead, there is a better way to move forward through the process of grief. We can begin to draw closer to our creator when we realize the finite nature of life and rely even more heavily on God’s promise that He’ll gather His children back into His arms and heal their brokenness until they’re made whole again. We can also choose to do life together with other people instead of isolating ourselves from them. Let people who love you...love you. Let them encourage, support, and care for you. Don't reject them or push them away no matter how much you may feel like doing so. And most of all, decide in your heart right now that you will fix your eyes on Jesus.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- How do you feel the presence of God in your current season? How can you draw closer to Jesus at this time?
- What do you think is the importance of encouragement and support as you navigate your grief?