The Grieving Heart of God
Genesis 6:6, “The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.”
It may be surprising, but the first usage of the word “grief” in the Bible is spoken about God. The Lord “was grieved” over the wickedness of man and even regretted creating man. If grief is ultimately about loss, God was grieving the loss of fellowship he had with Adam and Eve prior to the fall. Now, in Genesis 6, sin has run rampant and God’s greatest creation has become His greatest regret. Unfortunately, the same occurs in our lives as often the individuals that bring us the greatest joy can also bring us the greatest heartache. Thus, when God was grieved over man’s sinfulness, it describes God as “His heart was filled with pain.” Truly grief is the pain of the heart, the suffering that takes place when the sufferer loses someone or something that he/she greatly valued. God valued His greatest creation and the fellowship with man that he enjoyed prior to the fall. That which God so highly valued, He lost! The emotional effects of God experiencing the loss of fellowship with man was grief, as His heart “was filled with pain.”
It may be that you have a heart “filled with pain” today. You may be grieving the loss of that special someone or the loss of something you highly valued. Just know that God knows all about grief, and you can carry your burdens to the Lord. Remember 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” Just throw your cares upon Him and let Him carry your burdens today. He knows all about grief. He has experienced the pain of the heart!
GEC (Grief Education Center) 