As I sit down to write this blog, so many thoughts are flooding my mind. I thought I was ready to write this and I think I am, but it will not be easy. It was never going to be easy. As you can see from the title, this is about grief and grief is never easy. I have wanted to write about this topic for a while but I needed to gather my thoughts first. The first thing I want to tell you is that no matter what you are going through, there is hope. There is hope even in the trial. There is hope even in the grief. There is hope because of Jesus.
This year has been a challenging year for not only myself, but those close to me as well. Based on what I’ve seen and heard, I can say this is true for many people. My family has dealt with significant loss this year. From January of 2024 until November of the same year, my family lost four family members ranging from 17 years old to 90 years old with my Great Uncle being the last on Veterans Day. A true Veteran he was.
If you ask me, loosing four family members in one year is a bit much but then I hear about others who lost even more than that in a singular year and my heart breaks for them. And you really have no words to say. So what have I learned about grief in the last year? I learned that grief is hard. It doesn’t make sense. It creeps up on you when you least expect it, even when you thought you were doing good, and it affects everyone differently.
One moment, you are smiling and laughing. The next moment, you are crying over silly things like telling your friend you took the trash out so she didn’t have to (this actually happened to me!) Who knew taking the trash out could be so emotional! And you want people to ask you how you are doing because it shows they care, but then you can’t talk about it without tears flooding down your face so you decide you don’t want to talk about it anymore. Again, grief affects everyone differently. Some find themselves smiling a lot because they are trying to be strong for others. Others isolate. It does not mean those people aren’t hurting too. It just means they grieve differently than others.
Most importantly, I learned there is hope even in the grief. The Bible says ,”The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18. As my heart has been broken, I have sensed the closeness of God in my life. I have felt his presence like never before. And I thought I felt his closeness before!
You see, there is hope because of Jesus. There is hope because of the birth of the Messiah. There is hope because death was defeated when Jesus died on the cross for us. As a believer, this is what gives me hope even in the grief. Because I know that those I lost have made it to their eternal home. I have hope because they are pain free. Free from cancer. Free from brokenness. They are free, indeed.
I recognize grief comes from more than just death. It comes from loss of a job, loss of a home, loss of a relationship… The same goes for those types of grief. There is hope because of Jesus. The Bible tells us that, “God makes all things work to the good of those who love him,” Romans 8:28. We may not understand why things happen the way they do, but I promise God still makes all things work together for our good. He made a way for all of us. I have said many times just this year, “I do not always understand why things happen the way they do, but I will never question God’s reasoning.” I do not understand why my family has gone through so much tragedy this year, but I trust God and I will continue trusting Him for myself and for my family.
If you are grieving any or all of these things, draw near to God. Look to Him. Seek His face. I can tell you these things because I have been there. I have walked through it too. I am walking through it now.
I was recently talking to a friend and I told her all I have done is cling to Jesus because that is all I have known to do. Jesus gives me hope. He is my comforter. My protector. My refuge in the storm. Cling to Him. That is the best place you can be. While you cling to God and when you are ready, do not be afraid to talk to someone you trust about what you are walking through. And if someone comes to you while they are grieving, it is okay if you do not have the answer. It is okay if you do not say a word, and just listen. I have found, that is what most want. Someone to just listen to them and maybe even offer a hug. Above all else, trust God. I know I am.
There is hope in the grief. Cling to Jesus. Trust Him for all of your needs.
Hope, indeed. Thank you, Melissa.