When we look to the individuals of the Bible, like Job, David, Naomi, and Hannah, we see how several experienced pain and allowed themselves to go to the deep hurts of their hearts. This is very different than what society sometimes tells us to do when we face trials and struggles. I would argue that God wants us to grieve well. Job, David, Naomi, and Hannah all mourned their pains in the Bible, and none of them received punishment for allowing themselves to feel their pain; in fact, they were blessed by God in one way or another. God does not expect us to hide how we feel from Himself or others.
Job experiences some of the greatest suffering imaginable as he lost his family, wealth, health, land, and eventually the support of his own friends. Though Job never dishonors God, he speaks freely of his suffering and eventually claims that he wishes he was never born and curses that day in a long poetic speech (See Job 3). As for David, the Psalms account for his mourning over and over again. He grieves the death of his infant son and the consequences of his actions with Bathsheba (See 2 Samuel 12:13-25). When Abner died, David commands all those with him to mourn by tearing their clothes and wearing sack cloths (See 2 Samuel 3:30-35). His songs are full of his lament.
Naomi, having lost her sons and husband, renames herself, Mara, meaning bitter. She takes on an attitude of grief as she returns to her homeland.
Hannah gives another example of grieving well in the Bible. At the temple, she cries so deeply out to the Lord for a child that Eli mistakes her for a drunk, but her grieving is blessed, and God gives her a son (See 1 Samuel 1:5-20).
Today’s Bible Reading: Job 3, 2 Samuel 12
A Moment to reflect:
What are the ways that you feel like society tells you grieving should look like?
What are ways in your own life that you have grieved? Have you ever given yourself permission to sit in your grief and work through it?
Have you ever considered what it would mean to grieve in God-honoring ways? Can you reflect on a time where you've practiced this and seen the Lord's blessing because of it?
What can be one practical take away for you, from this two part blog series, even if you're not personally in a current season of grieving?
By Kaelah Byrom- an excerpt from For Such A Time As This: Walking Through Crisis *A moment to reflect is added for this post.
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