Devotional: Grief Comes in Many Forms

Genesis 11:30, “Now Sarai was barren; she had no children.”

Bereavement is the painful period of time one experiences after lossing a loved one who has died. Grief, on the otherhand, is the painful emotion that comes with any loss, not only death. In the above passage, Sarai was experiencing the grief over being barren, the inability to have children. It is normal for women to desire having children, as it is one of the great expectations a woman has after being married. For Sarai, she was grieving the barren womb and the loss of unfulfilled dreams.

Grief and and loss comes in many forms. Individuals grieve after the failure of a marriage, as divorce becomes a reality. Individuals may grieve over the loss of jobs, or the loss of incomes after a job change. Individuals may grieve over the loss of role status, such as retirement. Individuals may grieve over the loss of dreams or goals they wanted to achieve in life. Grief comes in many forms and is common to everyone, not just through the loss of a loved one.

We will all experience the loss of loved ones and we will all experience many losses in life that are not connected to death. Grief is common to every man, woman, and child. We are not immune, though we wish we were. Yet, we need to remember that God is good and He is with us through life’s losses. In Genesis 15:1, God told Abram, “Do not be afraid, Abram; I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” NKJV