Growing Spiritually Through Grief

The story is told of a woman who lost her husband of 40 years to a sudden heart attack. She later said that the resulting grief had caused her to value love more. As a result, she spent the rest of her life loving and serving people.

There’s no question that grief changes our perspective on life. It is a trite but true statement that how we deal with sorrow will make us either bitter or better. In a remarkable statement, the Psalmist actually thanked God for a difficult experience:

“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word ….. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (Psalm 119:67,71).

We don’t know the nature of the Psalmist’s affliction, but the positive outcome was his longing to obey the Lord and a hunger for His Word.

When we grieve, it feels more like dying than growing, but as the Lord wraps His loving and caring arms around us, we have the assurance of His faithful care (1 Peter 5:6-7).

Does Jesus care when I’ve said “good-by”
To the dearest on earth to me,
And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks
Is it aught to Him? Does He see?
O yes, He cares; I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary,
the long nights dreary,
I know my Savior cares (see video). — J. Lincoln Hall 

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets