Grief is a thief. It steals from us, breaking our spirits, leaving us crushed by a weight too hard to bear. It leaves us feeling abandoned, confused, and lonely. It moves in like a fog that simply won’t lift. Nothing seems normal. C.S. Lewis said, “No one ever told me about the laziness of grief. Not only writing, but even reading a letter is too much. Even shaving. What does it matter now whether my cheek is rough or smooth?”
What does it matter? Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed.” Unfortunately, none of us can escape grief. It comes whether we’re prepared for it or not. It settles in, unbidden, but insistent, changing every thought and challenging everything we think we know. When we’re overwhelmed by grief, we can exist for days or months or even longer chained to our misery. We imagine no other human can actually understand our pain and brokenness. We struggle to believe if God even knows how shattered we are. Nothing makes sense. Nothing gives us relief.
But here’s what else we know. At some point, we are set free from the anguish and the loss we feel, and we begin to see simple things that matter. We embrace a loved one, hear soothing words of encouragement, and slowly begin to see the light of possibility. We utter a prayer, uncertain what to say, but sensing we don’t have to know. God knows we don’t understand, but He is still with us. We slowly let go of fear and anger and mistrust. We recognize that we want more from life, that we want things to matter. We’re not there, but we have a real sense of being ready to feel better.
None of us want grief to last, and so one day, it happens. We trade in sadness for warm memories. We allow our broken hearts to mend, and we remain strong, ready to be shaped by God’s hand again. We no longer resist His comfort because we believe God has more to share, more to give, that will restore us to peace. God doesn’t see our grief as something we have to let go of, or even get over. He sees it as an opportunity to offer His love in a way we never could have grasped before. He knows what it is like to suffer loss, and He grieves with us. When He knows we’re ready, God sends the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to remain with us until we can move on to a brighter tomorrow.
Grief is a thief, but it doesn’t have the last word. God will heal your broken heart. Breathe in God’s gentle Spirit, and rest in His arms until you feel restored. He is with you always.