Grief
Today’s Scriptures: Isaiah 53:3 NLT, John 11:32-35 NLT, Psalms 56:8 NLT, Psalms 34:18 NLT
Movement 1: Acquainted with Sorrows and Deepest Grief
Read and meditate: He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Isaiah 53:3 NLT
Reflect: There are many blessings in this life. So many wonderful things for which to give thanks to God. But other times in life are hard. We encounter tragedy, broken relationships, trauma, cancelled or changed plans, financial loss, and even death. People come in and out of our lives, poor decisions are made that affect those around us, injustice is present, illness strikes, betrayal occurs, and much more. We know that God is good, present, and powerful. But difficult things still happen. Where is God when we encounter these hard times? Right by our side. He goes before us and is with us, never leaves us or forsakes us (Deut 31:8). And why does it matter that He is near? Because he is a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We have the presence of an understanding God. We have the opportunity to lean into a God who, more than anyone else, knows what we are feeling and knows that he is the answer to our healing.
Pray: Ask God what makes him grieve. He created our feelings and emotions. He was fully man, so he experienced them. Listen to his response and sit in grief with Him. Just be.
Movement 2: Jesus Wept
Read and meditate: When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.” Then Jesus wept. John 11:32-35 NLT
Reflect: Lazarus was one of Jesus’s closest friends. Scripture tells us that Lazarus was Jesus’s dear friend, and he had much love for him. Picture one of your closest friends. See them in your mind. Recall the last time you were together and what made it such a good time. Now, think how your heart would feel if they were to get sick. Jesus did not want sickness to befall his friend. When He created this world, it was perfect. He did not intend for sickness, sadness, and death. But these things entered the world, and He had to endure them and work through them just as you and I. And part of that was grieving.
Pray: Ask Jesus to reveal to you how He felt when
he came near to his dear friend’s grave. Ask Him to show you how He created you to grieve. Be still before the Lord.
Movement 3: He Sees You
Read and meditate: You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalms 56:8 NLT
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Psalms 34:18 NLT
Reflect: It has been said that we are often either going into a hard time, in a hard time, or coming out of a hard time. Jesus told us that in this world we would have trouble (John 16:33). It is likely that you are experiencing something difficult right now. (*Caution: don’t compare your hard times to others’ hard times. Each of us experiences situations differently, and each of us grieves differently.) The most important thing to remember in a difficult time is that He is with you. In fact, he is so intimately close to you, His son/daughter, that He knows every one of your sorrows. He collects your tears in a bottle. He sees each one. He is close to the brokenhearted and rescues us when our spirits are crushed.
Pray: Ask God to highlight a difficult time that you have been in recently or are experiencing right now. Ask Jesus to reveal to you where He was/is during this difficult time. Where have you seen Him show up? Where have you sensed His presence? Ask Him what He sees when He looks at you, what He hears when you cry out, and what He can do about what you are going through. He will have answers for you. Just listen.