Finding Help in the Horrible
I have a dear friend whose 38-year-old son died suddenly a couple of weeks ago. Adequate words to give my friend seemed weak and unsubstantial.
This Israel-Hamas War is incredibly awful. The loss of so many lives, so many hurting people, so much tragedy. Oh, that we had words that could help. As we grasp the dimensions of the horror in Israel, the magnitude of the carnage, injury and destruction, we mourn the lives lost and wish a speedy and full recovery for those injured.
What can we say, do, and offer that will help in the worst moments of grief? I hugged my dear Jewish friend who receives many texts from her daughter in Israel, especially when she tried to take a flight out to a safer location and the flight was cancelled.
There are some powerful verses from the Psalms that I believe apply to moments of grief. There is truth God wants us to know and give to others.
God is near. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Many grieving people talk about feeling numb. That numbness may feel wrong, but what if that numbness is a gift of God’s presence?
Anesthesia is used to keep a person from fully experiencing pain. What if God’s presence, His nearness, grants a numbness that is simply His blessing for the crushed spirit?
Anesthesia lasts for only so long, but God is still there for us. He won’t let us fall. Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be shaken.” Freedom comes when we give God our cares and anxieties.
I think it is in these times, louder than ever, God is saying: “Here is my arm. Grab on. It may hurt, but I am with you and won’t let you fall.”
God guides us through the tunnels of this life, and some tunnels are mighty long, dark, and lonely. But the only failure is letting go of the arm that knows the way through the darkness.
As surely as there is a beginning to grief, there is an end. And, we will always know it was God that brought us through that dark tunnel. It really is true that there is a light at the end of the tunnel!
Joy is on its way. Psalm 30:5 says: “His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Happiness isn’t promised, but joy is. It is joy that comes in the mourning, AND the morning.
Joy is the incomprehensible peace and contentment that transcends our happiness — and our grief. God is still enough. And He uses us to convey His words. Lord, please speak through us today to shine Your light on those in darkness. May we be Your hands and feet and voice, speaking only Your words of life and love.