GRIEF

 

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds

up their wounds.”

(Psalm 147:3)

 

Grief : deep mental suffering, as that arising

from bereavement

 

 

Grief  is a natural human emotion that is experienced when a sig­nificant loss occurs—especially the loss of a loved one.  Grief is not necessarily an indication of a lack of faith , but can be an expres­sion of the depth of love we had for someone. 

 

Synopsis

 

Being a Christian does not rescue us from the pain  of loss.  Jesus Himself was familiar with grief , and wept when His friend Lazarus died because of His great love for him.¹

 

The Bible clearly “makes room” for grief  in the hearts of man; there is a time to grieve and a time to mourn.²  The disciples of Jesus ex-

 

 

“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 11:34-36)¹

 

There is a time for everything, and a season for every

activity under heaven :  a time to be born and a time

 to die…a time to weep and a time to laugh…

a time to mourn and a time to dance…

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-2,4)²

 

“The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 

They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.”  And the disciples were filled with grief .

(Matthew 17:23)³

 

perienced grief  when He told them He was going to die,^3,4  they also mourned immediately after His death on the cross.⁵  However, Jesus also told His disciples that their grief  would eventually turn to joy  when He returned to be with them.^6,7

As Christians, we will all experience grief  when our loved ones die;  but we are to maintain a sense of hope , even in the midst of our grief  and sorrow .⁸  Remember, our grief  in this world is only temporary,⁹ it will not extend into eternity.^10,11

Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, “Where are you going?”  Because I have said these things,

you are filled with grief .

(John 16:5-6)⁴

She went and told those who had been with him

and who were mourning and weeping.

(Mark 16:10)⁵

So with you:  Now is your time of grief , but I will see you again

and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy .

(John 16:22)⁶

I tell you the truth , you will weep and mourn while the world

rejoices.  You will grieve, but your grief  will turn to joy .

(John 16:20)⁷

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those

who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have

no hope . We believe that Jesus died and rose again and

so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those

who have fallen asleep in him.

(1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)⁸

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you

may have had to suffer  grief  in all kinds of trials.

(1 Peter 1:6)⁹

He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain , for the old order

of things has passed away.

(Revelation 21:4)¹⁰

Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

(Luke 6:21)¹¹

Our hope  comes from the fact that Jesus Christ defeated death.^12,13 Nothing will ever replace the loss of our loved ones on this earth, but nothing will ever surpass our reunion with them in heaven  as we spend eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.¹⁴

If you are grieving and brokenhearted, keep turning to God.¹⁵ Let God help wipe away your tears and heal you wounds.^16,17 He promises He will be close to the brokenhearted and save those who are crushed in spirit.¹⁸

The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

(1 Corinthians 15:26)¹²

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable,

and the mortal with immortality, then the saying

that is written will come true: 

“Death  has been swallowed up in victory.”

(1 Corinthians 15:54)¹³

They will enter into Zion with singing; everlasting joy  will

crown their heads.  Gladness and joy  will overtake them,

and sorrow  and sighing will flee away.

(Isaiah 35:10)¹⁴

The Spirit helps us in our weakness .  We do not know what

we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes

for us with groans that words cannot express.

(Romans 8:26)¹⁵

The Sovereign Lord will wipe away

the tears from all faces.

(Isaiah 25:8)¹⁶

He heals the brokenhearted and

binds up their wounds.

(Psalm 147:3)¹⁷

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

(Psalm 34:18)¹⁸

If you know someone who is grieving or mourning, reach out to him or her in Christian love.^19,20  As Christians, we are to carry each other’s burdens.²¹

Rejoice with those who rejoice;

mourn with those who mourn.

(Romans 12:15)¹⁹

By this all men will know that you are my disciples,

if you love one another.

(John 13:35)²⁰

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way

you will fulfill the law of Christ.

(Galatians 6:2)²¹