Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – May 6, 2014
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7
Grief is a very real source of suffering. We grieve when we lose our loved one who has gone to be with the Lord. We may or may not totally get over their departure. The memory of the little things we shared in life could linger with us until the day we go to be with them in glory. We also grieve when we lose a child to foolish flings. We watch with broken hearts, as we are unable to control the harmful decisions of an adult son or daughter. We can suffer grief from all kinds of trials that create troubles. Yes, troubles are a test to refine our faith and to lead us to praise God.
Furthermore, suffering grief and/or trouble can be a tool for the Spirit to wean us from the world’s way of thinking. If anything other than Christ controls our peace of mind, it is a threat to our trust in God. The Lord’s plan is for us to suffer grief for a ‘little while’. Thus, we must resist the temptation to get sucked into the crazy cycle of being controlled by another person’s bad behavior. We temporarily grieve their immature actions, but then we leave them with God.
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Perpetual grieving is not the heart of God for His children. His desire is for praise and rejoicing to follow our faith refinement. However, during this interim of intense pain, He grieves with us as we process our hurting heart. His compassionate Spirit draws us into sweeter communion as we enter into a deeper and fuller understanding of our heavenly Father’s love and grace. We suffer grief to gain God and to lose ourselves. Grief makes real the precious promises of God.
Most of all, lean into the Lord’s long suffering and unconditional love as you grieve. Get to know your special friend Jesus at a new level. Enjoy solitude for a season, but avoid a prolonged trap of isolation. Engage with individuals and a care group who can grieve with you. Grief is not meant to be experienced alone. Processed pain is productive, but unprocessed pain is destructive. Rejoice, though we suffer grief, we gain a greater grace and deeper love from our heavenly Father.
“But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless: (Psalm 10:14).
Prayer: Heavenly Father, in my grief I receive your greater grace and deeper love that brings healing to my heart.
Related Readings: Proverbs 17:21; Nehemiah 8:10; Zechariah 12:10; John 11:35, 16:20
Post/Tweet today: Properly processed pain is productive, but unprocessed pain is destructive. #wisdomhunters
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© 2014 by Boyd Bailey. All rights reserved.
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This whole article touched my inner
being. May The Lord bless you as you have blessed me! I have many griefs
in my life including the loss of my dear
husband. Loss of friends who never
understood what depth my grief took me to and set in judgement. Judgement by those who were not God but took on
his position. Hurts–hurts real bad.
Dear Terri~ Thank you so much for reaching out to us regarding our devotional, “Suffering Grief”. I am just sure you loved your husband very much~ and what a gift that is! I am so sorry for your loss and I could almost “feel” your hurt through your words. I rejoice in the fact you know who the Great Comforter is; the One walking through this with you every step of the way. Please keep clinging to Him each day.
Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you. Let us know how you are doing in the days and weeks ahead. We care.
We are thankful that you are a fellow wisdom hunter.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
” I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, BUT YOUR GRIEF WILL TURN TO JOY.”
John 16:20