Grief Stricken

May 3, 2021

My soul still remembers And sinks within me.

~Lamentations 3:20~

Grief is never an easy thing to deal with. It is a sad state to be caught up in. If there is anyone who knows about the crippling effect of grief it is our Father. For many years He grieved the loss of His children, originally designed to walk hand in hand with Him. He still grieves over many who are just simply living in their sinful habitat without any desire to know Him. A lot of us have had losses of course; we know the feeling of losing one we love so dearly. The pain that pierces our heart and soul as we long for reunion with them. While we only have so much in our life we can lose, Father God has a grand selection of loses in His. "For the Lord has called you Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, Like a youthful wife when you were refused,” Says your God."

(Isaiah 54:6)

For every child that turns away, there is deep grief that wells up inside our Lord. Imagine the way we may have felt during a deep and painful time of loss or rejection of one we longed for. How our chest sank within us, our heart skipping a beat and our eyes puffed up due to an increase of weeping. We know that when we weep, Jesus weeps. When we laugh, Jesus laughs. When we feel alone, He is there. There is absolutely nothing we are instructed to do alone. "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

(Isaiah 41:10)

There is never a time He leaves us alone, even as we reject Him it seems He is still right there eagerly waiting, grieving and longing for that reunion. Just as we long to see our loved ones again one day, the Lord longs to be with us too.

"And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40)

Do we ever sit back and wonder how we can get through such an awful time of great sorrow? If so, we can look to Jesus. He who bore our sorrows and grief on the cross.

"Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted." (Isaiah 53:4)

The soul of Jesus, displayed in grief for all to mock, was sinking with great despair as He wept for His own people. This is a picture of how much our Father grieves at the loss of just one of His own. Each day He awaits for us to reach others with Him in hopes that just one more child is reunited to Him. When the Lord Jesus, God's only Son, took His last breath the temple veil tore in two from top to bottom. Biblically, a sign of grief for someone who had just lost a loved one was to tear ones clothes while they wept. Perhaps the temple veil tore not only as a sign of access to God but also a sign of God's own grief being displayed. This is the pain He felt while turning His back on His own Son, this is the same grief He feels each day as He watches evil running amongst His own children. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good." (Proverbs 15:3)

We can imagine how difficult that must be to literally see all evil taking place. Especially when it is coming from your own children.

When we begin to focus on the grief God feels regularly, we can truely humble ourselves more and understand just how blessed we really have it. We have a God that not only takes our burdens with us, but takes on His own at the same time. He is pure love. Only love can sacrifice such a thing; still offering to take on our grief and patiently wait in hopes for His reunion with all whom He cherishes so deeply. Let us take a step back in our own grief as we lean in on God's divine strength. For we know only He can be there for us every step of the way. Let us strive to be there for Him as well, setting aside all the sorrow that is attempting to well up inside of us and casting it to the feet of Jesus. For it is His desire we are to be comforted by Him, strengthened by Him and led by Him to eternal life with Him. If you are grieving now, I want to take the time to say I am truely sorry and sympathize with you. I am sending blessings your way and I want this to be encouragement that as you follow the One who bears grief everyday, you will never be alone in the midst of yours. He can take it for you. Rest in Him and ask Him for that weight to be lifted as you walk in this process beside Him. We were never made to take on anything by ourselves.

Prayer:

Gracious God, thank you for taking my sorrows and pain on the cross. The pain that You felt was undeserving and still is, yet You choose to do so out of love for all of us. I lay aside any grief I may be feeling today at Your feet Jesus and I praise You for always sticking beside me. I know You will never leave me nor forsake me and I take comfort that one day I may reunite with the ones I may be grieving all thanks to Your sacrifice for our eternal life. I pray they knew You before they took their last breath and I know You are so good and desire that all may have everlasting life. Lead me in strength Holy Spirit and use me to produce good fruit for the Kingdom. I receive peace and joy that comes only from above, in the Name of my King who grieves each day for us, Jesus Christ. Amen.