Grief is a journey we all walk differently, yet it connects us deeply. Welcome to our community, where we share insights, support, and hope for healing. Whether you’re grieving a loss or supporting someone who is, you’re not alone.

Devotional: Even There

“even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In this passage, the Psalmist is declaring the Lord’s continuous presence in his life. This Psalm of King David is his acknowledgment of his inability to escape from God. David understood that God was fully knowledgeable of every aspect of his life; where he was physically, what he was thinking mentally, and what he was feeling emotionally. David acknowledged that it was impossible to escape the presence of God.

Right now, I don’t really know where “there” is for you, but I do know that the Lord is aware of where you are, what you are thinking, and what you are feeling. For King David, God’s presence was a source of strength, as he was confident that God would guide him and hold him fast.

My prayer for you is that you have faith in and trust our inescapable God, who loves you and can sustain you through any personal struggle you are facing. Wherever “there” is for you, know that God can “guide” you and “hold you fast!”

Devotional: “I Am Bereaved.”

Genesis 43:14b, “As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

This statement was made by Jacob upon having to allow Benjamin to be carried by Judah to the ruler of Israel. He knew there was risk involved in sending Benjamin, but had no choice. He knew that the potential for death and loss of his youngest child was real. Without the ability to stop the exchange, lest they all die of starvation, Jacob reluctantly allowed Benjamin to go. Realizing the risk and the necessity, he resolved, “If I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” His comment was one of acceptance of the potential for grief. Bereavement and grief are a part of life. It is inevitable. Like C.S. Lewis once said, “Every human relationship ends in pain.” It is not something we look forward to, but it is a reality common to every person. We cannot escape it.

I also believe this statement is a resolution from his prior experience. He had greatly grieved the loss of Joseph and it had a lingering effect on him. He had survived loss before, but that doesn’t mean he wanted to experience it again. At this juncture in his life, Jacob knew the inevitability of experiencing grief as a part of life, and he knew that he would deal with grief again, if necessary. His statement was a fact of the reality of bereavement, not an embracing of the fact. Bereavement, though never desired, must be accepted, for no one is immune.

Devotional: Approaching God

Job 28:4, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?”

Wow! The Lord basically told Job to “brace yourself like a man,” and the first question God asked Job was, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” Probably not what Job expected, but exactly what Job needed to hear. Instantly, Job knew his vain babbling would be corrected. Job was hurting after losing ten children. God had been silent, and that frustrated Job even more. Job may have thought to himself, “Where was God in all this mess?” or “Why live a righteous life if it doesn’t receive God’s blessings and protection?”

What we must understand is that we have limited knowledge and God has perfect knowledge. Man is finite, and God is infinite. God’s ways are not our own ways! We may complain, and most of us do, but we should be aware that we should approach God with reverence and awe. For example, I did not agree with everything my earthly father did or told me to do, but I never approached him with disrespect. That’s even more important to remember when approaching God. He wants us to share our greatest needs with Him. He can handle our emotions, hurts, and pains. He is a loving heavenly Father. But remember, He is God! We should never approach God in irreverence.

Devotional: Childlessness

Genesis 30:1, “So she (Rachel) said to Jacob, ‘Give me children or I will die!”

Though grief is normally associated with the loss of a loved one, grief takes many forms. One can grieve the loss of a job, a broken relationship, or the loss of a role such as retirement. Grief is the pain of suffering loss of any kind. One such loss that causes great grief and suffering is the inability to have children, This grief is associated with the loss of a dream and a desire to have children and raise a family.

When Rachel saw that Leah was having children and she could not (at the time), it grieved her not to be able to have children. Rachel thought she was going to “die,” because of her unfulfilled desire to have children. She was miserable and made her husband miserable, as she actually blamed him. She envied her sister, who was able to have children, and this led to her additional sense of grief. Furthermore, often this can take a toll on marital relationships, and can eventually lead to divorce if not accepted.

Furthermore, this grief is difficult to understand in our relationship with God, as society often sees children as a blessing from the Lord. Thus, when a woman cannot have children, it is as if God hasn’t blessed her with this special blessing. Grief is difficult to process, and the inability to have children is one of the most difficult challenges for a woman who has dreamed all her life about having children.

Devotional: I Know My Redeemer Lives

Job 19:25, “I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end, he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”

Oh, the pain of loss is so great for those who have lost loved ones- especially those who have lost children. Often the loss of a child can lead to helplessness, hopelessness, and haplessness; as the acute grief is almost unbearable. Additionally, chronic grief can be prolonged for years. The only solace that might reduce the pain, the only solace that may slow the downward spiral, would be the belief and hope of the hereafter; that blessed hope of life beyond death.

For Job, facing compound grief with the loss of 10 children, the only hope he could find was his strong faith in the future presence of a Redeemer. He voiced his confidence that God, the Great Redeemer of men, lives and would one day “stand upon the earth.” Amazingly, Job believed that despite the eventual death of his earthly body he would one day receive new flesh beyond the grave and new life that would allow him to see God. This hope helped Job stem the tide of depression he was experiencing. Furthermore, it left him yearning for that day, the day when he would stand before his Redeemer and all the pain of this present life would be in the past.