GIVING GOD OUR GRIEF

BY PASTOR JASON BRIESACHER

THE LORD IS CLOSE TO THE BROKENHEARTED; HE RESCUES THOSE WHOSE SPIRITS ARE CRUSHED.

PSALM 34:18 (NLT)

My grandpa had a significant impact on my life. He was a wise counselor and loving friend who led me to Jesus and helped me become a better father, husband, and man. He passed in December 2021. The loss was devastating.

The moment he passed, I celebrated. After two decades of battling severe illnesses, he crossed the threshold into heaven. What a joyous victory! Then I realized I would have to live without him for the rest of my life. Grief set in and still sweeps over me as I write this devotional.

Grief is an emotional anomaly. There is no other emotion quite like it. When you confront fear, it goes away. Sadness can be modified by a good day or a kind word. Anger and happiness come and go; you never feel the same way you did when those feelings arose. But grief holds strong like an anchor. Its grip brings us back to the moment of loss and envelops our moods and senses. A great day is overshadowed by mourning, and the happiest moments still have a tinge of sorrow attached to them.

Reflect for a moment on two instances in Jesus’ life when He expressed grief. One was when He looked at Jerusalem and said He wanted to draw the people to Himself like a hen gathers her chicks. Jesus lamented the relationship lost between humanity and God. The second time was when Jesus learned His friend Lazarus had died. I always thought it odd that Jesus, who already declared He would raise Lazarus, broke down sobbing when approaching the tomb. I used to think it was because others were grieving, but I believe it was due to death itself. God didn’t design our bodies to die; I think Jesus was lamenting humanity’s fate because of sin.

Jesus came to remedy both of those situations. He came to obliterate death’s sting and to remove the barrier between God and man. Yet, in the midst of this, the grief remained. Hebrews tells us that we have Jesus Christ, our High Priest, who understands our struggles. He understands your suffering.

Grief isn’t only experienced over the loss of a person; it can happen whenever there is a loss of any kind: a job, a relationship, or an unexpected diagnosis. Letting Him into your grief is the only way toward healing. He understands and wants to help. Don’t hold on to it alone, struggling in silence; let the Wonderful Counselor do His work.

Moving Forward

Tell God about your grief; give Him all your emotions. When they come up again, talk to Him again. His presence won’t change the loss, but He’ll envelop you in His love.