When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.  “Where have you laid him?” he asked.  “Come and see, Lord”, they replied.  Jesus wept.  Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”  John 11:33-36


Losing a beloved sibling is heartbreaking.  We are overcome with grief.  The pain is overwhelming.  Sometimes we feel as if no one else truly understands the depth of our anguish.

Martha and Mary were sisters who lost their beloved brother Lazarus.  They were beside themselves with grief.  When Jesus arrived at Lazarus’ tomb, John 11:35 tells us that “Jesus wept.”  These two words comprise the shortest verse in the Bible, but perhaps they form one of the most impactful phrases.  Jesus wept openly at the tomb of His dear friend Lazarus.  He shared in the grief of Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary.  He entered into their mourning.  Like Martha and Mary, He also loved Lazarus.  Did Jesus weep because of His own sadness at the passing of His friend?  Or did He weep because He knew how much Martha and Mary were hurting and their pain caused Jesus to cry?

God doesn’t just sit back and watch us go through painful circumstances.  He comes to us, enters into our heartache, and weeps with us.  He empathizes with us because He has experienced sorrow, too.  In the midst of our pain, God walks with us.  Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us “his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning.”  Know that Jesus understands your distress.  He weeps over you and has compassion on you.  Jesus travels with you on your journey of grief.  You are not alone.


Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you that You are compassionate and understand my sorrow.  Help me to reach out to You in my pain and to feel Your loving presence with me as I travel this path of grief.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Copyright © 2014 by Dawn Dailey.  All rights reserved.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.  I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.  Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:  Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  Lamentations 3:19-23

 

Is your soul downcast within you?  Does your grief consume you?  Losing a loved one does that to us, doesn’t it?  Grief is a dark cloud of gloom that seems to follow us everywhere.  It touches every corner of our souls.  It shows up in places where we don’t expect and always where we do.

Healing takes time.  So much time.  We absolutely have to be patient with ourselves and those around us.  In the meantime, we are the walking wounded, trying to cope with life as best we can, but with a gaping hole in our hearts where our loved one once was.  I know you may not believe this right now, but someday that wound will heal to the point that it will be a scar, always sensitive to touch, but not as painful as it is today.

Moving forward, pushing through our pain until we come out on the other side to a path of healing – this is what our loved one would want us to do.  Not wallowing in our loss, but pressing forward.

Does moving forward mean we don’t care about the one we lost?  If we show progress in our healing, do we need to feel guilty that we’re not grieving as much as we once were?  No, of course not.  Grief is the realization that our loved one is no longer here.  We feel the pain but we don’t need to wallow in it.  Grief doesn’t have to consume us.  Taking care of ourselves and starting on that road to healing is most important.  Are we leaving our loved one behind as we move toward hope and healing?  No, for we carry them in our hearts as we travel our path of loss to a new path of wellness.  Take with you those good memories of the one you lost as you begin your new journey of wholeness.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You that Your compassion for me never fails.  Your mercies toward my hurting heart are new every morning.  Help me not to be consumed with my grief, but recognize that it is a tool to use to bring me to a place of hope and healing, of wellness and wholeness.  Give me patience with myself and others as I travel this difficult road.  I know healing takes time.  I thank You that You are the Great Healer of my heart and soul.  I trust in Your love and compassion to carry me to the other side of grief, to a place of healing.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Copyright © 2014 by Dawn Dailey.  All rights reserved.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

 
May your unfailing love be my comfort.  Psalm 119:76

Shell-shocked.  Stunned.  Jolted.  All words to describe my thoughts, or perhaps lack of thoughts, when I first learned of my brother’s sudden death.  My mind could not accept the possibility, the probability, that what I had just heard was true.  I did not want to believe it.  I was more than just a bit dazed.

How was it possible that someone who was the picture of health one minute could be dead the next?  What had happened to my brother?  He was alive when his wife left for work that day.  What happened while she was gone?  How long had he lain on the floor before she found him?  Had he tried to call for help?  Why did he have to be alone?  How did he die?  And why?  I had so many questions.  And no answers.  I was more than just a bit confused.

If you’ve lost a loved one recently, you may be feeling shocked and disoriented.  You may be trying to wrap your head around the fact your loved one is gone.  You may have lots of questions and aren’t finding any answers.  All of these feelings are normal when you are grieving.  Know that ultimately the fog will clear and you will start down the path of healing.  It just takes time.

God understands your pain.  His heart breaks when your heart breaks.  Open your wounded and aching heart to His unfailing love for you.  He loves you so.

Dear God, my heart is broken right now with the news that my loved one is gone.  I’m feeling overwhelmed and perplexed.  I trust you, Lord, to ultimately heal my heart.  Guide me through the fog of uncertainty and lead me to a path of healing.  Comfort me with Your unfailing love.  Wrap Your loving arms around me and hold me tightly through this painful grief-storm.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

 

 

Copyright © 2014 by Dawn Dailey.  All rights reserved.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™