Overcoming Grief in Times of Loss

 

A compilation

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Are you currently mourning or grieving the loss of someone you love? Does the idea of getting beyond the pain and sorrow seem impossible to you? Do peace and comfort seem nonexistent or out of reach?

Jesus’ disciples knew what it meant to mourn and grieve. They had seen Jesus crucified and His body laid in a tomb. One day He was with them, and the next He was gone—or so it must have felt. They’d no doubt had their fair share of tests during the three years they had spent with Jesus. But the test they endured right after His death must have been one of the most difficult.

Since their Master had given them plenty of advance warning concerning His betrayal, crucifixion, death, and resurrection on the third day, you’d think they would have felt better prepared to face everything.¹

He had clearly told them, “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”² At the time Jesus spoke these words, His disciples hadn’t fully grasped how soon they would be seeing Him. It seems they thought that He meant in the afterlife, not just three days after His death.

When He was crucified and laid to rest, they wrestled with doubt. They had seen their Master perform miracles of resurrection, but now here He was entombed himself.

Mary Magdalene found them in this dejected, melancholic state of mind on Easter Sunday. When she came running to them with the news of finding the tomb empty and seeing an angel who told her that Jesus had risen, at first they didn’t believe her. That is, until Peter and John went and saw it for themselves.³

When Jesus manifested Himself to them, they discovered that He was more than just “alive.” He could do truly amazing things like appear and disappear, even when doors were shut.⁴ Later on, He appeared to a couple of His followers as they traveled from Jerusalem to Emmaus. He conversed with them the whole way there, but they were kept from recognizing Him until later that evening when they were having dinner together.⁵

Through these and many other signs, He convinced His grief-stricken followers that He had indeed been resurrected, and their grief turned to joy, just as He’d told them it would.

This is all well and good, you may be thinking. But how is it supposed to help me get beyond the pain of my own loss?

I know how you must feel. I’m no stranger to the pain of loss myself. My mother passed away in 2004—and dealing with her loss was truly a day-by-day, painstaking process. In an effort to stay “tough” and hide from the pain, I would tell myself, Mom’s gone and that’s that. I’ll see her again, yes, but who knows how long it will be before then? So I may as well tough it out and stay focused on the here and now.

I resigned myself to it for a long time, until it eventually took its toll on me. Thankfully, the Lord and His Holy Spirit began to change my perspective. I studied His Word with an open heart—and realized that we, the followers of Jesus who live today, have just as sure a guarantee of the eventual resurrection of our loved ones who have died as the disciples of old had of the resurrection of Jesus.

Paul says to the Thessalonians, “We do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”⁶

This realization caused a resurrection to take place in my own soul. The joy which I had allowed to die through my own pain and sorrow was coming to life again. And now my joy continues to grow, and I know that nothing or no one can take it from me.

If you are struggling with the loss of a loved one and wishing you could have that same joy, be comforted in knowing that you can. You can ask God to help you to look beyond the pain and emptiness of your loss to the glorious life to come, when all will be renewed, resurrected, and restored. Then will begin a process of renewal, resurrection, and restoration right in your own heart, as your joy is brought back to life.—Steve Hearts

God’s comfort

If you have lost a loved one to death, you know that it is a painful experience. Jesus understood the pain of losing someone close to His heart. In the book of John, we learn that Jesus lost a loved one named Lazarus.⁷ Jesus was deeply moved and wept at the loss of His friend. This story, however, doesn’t end in tears. Jesus knew He possessed the power needed to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”⁸

Jesus overcame death through His resurrection. It is comforting to know that death is not the end for those who believe. Those who know Jesus as Savior will have eternal life.⁹ God has prepared a new home for us where there will be no more death, tears, or pain.¹⁰

Even if we are assured that our loved one is in a better place, we still experience the pain of their absence on earth. It is okay to grieve the loss of your loved one. Jesus wept over the death of Lazarus, even knowing He would bring Lazarus back to life. God is not afraid of our emotions or our questions. We can pour out our burdens on Him and trust in His love to provide us reassurance and comfort.¹¹

We can remember the many good things about our lost loved ones and rejoice in the fact that we were able to share in their lives. We can share stories about the impact our lost loved ones have had on our lives. We might find it comforting to do some of the things our lost loved ones particularly enjoyed or to spend time reminiscing about our lost loved ones with other close relatives and friends. We can also honor their memory by living our lives in a way that brings honor and glory to God.

It is important to remember that God is ultimately the source of our comfort.¹² … The Bible tells us that God is the father of mercies and that He will comfort us in all our tribulations.¹³ Be assured that God loves you and that He understands how much you are hurting. Run to the shelter of the Most High where you will find sweet rest.¹⁴—GotQuestions.org¹⁵

Faithful friend prayer

God of all comfort, please be near me today. Let your strong presence be felt now and in the coming days. The grief of losing my loved one is so heavy on my heart and mind. I pray that you would come and comfort me. Wrap me up in your tender love. It pains me to lose someone so close to my heart. I struggle to understand, but I know that you’ve seen all this in times past. And in your wisdom, you have chosen to take my beloved family member/friend at this time and in this way. Embrace me, O God, and speak words of assurance and comfort by the Holy Spirit. …

Lord, what a faithful friend we have in you. You carry our sorrows and our griefs and our pain. Thank you for the privilege of taking everything to you in prayer. Remind us when we are overwhelmed with the grief of this great loss that we don’t need to forfeit peace or bear needless pain; we can take our troubled hearts to you. There has never been a faithful friend like you, who shares our sorrows and knows our hearts. Thank you, sweet friend. …

Thank you that I am never alone, that your presence calms the troubled sea of my life and speaks peace to my soul. Your word says that my faith will never be put to shame when my trust is in you. Hear my prayer as I ask for comfort in dealing with the loss of my loved one. Help me to find strength and peace in your presence. Restore joy to my soul. Lord, bless me and keep me, make your face shine upon me. Turn your face towards me and give me peace.—ConnectUs¹⁶

Published on Anchor July 2022. Read by Jon Marc.
Music by Michael Dooley.

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¹ See Matthew 16:21, 17:22, 20:17–18; Mark 8:31, 9:31, 10:32–34; Luke 9:21–22, 18:31–33.

² John 16:22 NIV.

³ John 20:1–4.

⁴ John 20:19–20.

⁵ Luke 24:13–31.

⁶ 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 NIV.

⁷ John 11:1–44.

⁸ John 11:25–26.

⁹ John 10:28.

¹⁰ Revelation 21:1–4.

¹¹ 1 Peter 5:7.

¹² 2 Corinthians 7:6.

¹³ 2 Corinthians 1:3–4.

¹⁴ Psalm 91:1–2.

¹⁵ https://www.gotquestions.org/lost-a-loved-one.html.

¹⁶ https://connectusfund.org/14-best-comforting-prayers-for-loss-of-a-loved-one.

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Psalm 26 with Commentaries and Rock of Ages

Psalm 26 A Psalm of David with Commentaries by Dennis Edwards

Psalm 26:1 Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in my integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore, I shall not slide.

David was being falsely accused by King Saul of conspiring against him, of seeking to “lie in wait” to kill Saul and take the kingdom from him. Saul, also, accused the High Priest of being in league with David. “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse…that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?” 1 Samuel 22:13.

It is the enemy of our soul who is the accuser of the saints, “who accuses them night and day before our God,” Revelation 12:10b. Though our adversary accuses us, we have “overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of our testimony,” Revelation 12:11a. Our testimony is that we have believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God, “and have not denied His name,” Revelation 3:8b.

Because we have not denied His name, “but have kept the word of His patience,” in other words, we have kept His word even under ridicule and persecution; “He also will keep us from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth,” Revelation 3:10.

It is God that will “keep us from falling, and present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,” Jude 24, because we are washed in His blood and “have loved not our lives even unto death, Revelation 12:11b. “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” Revelation 7:14b. It is “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son (that) cleanses us from all sin,” 1 John 1:7.

We that have believed and obeyed can “be confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ,” Philippians 1:6. “And I give unto them eternal life; and no man is able to pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them (to) Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand,” John 10:28-29.

Psalm 26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

David wants to be examined by God, and not by the false judgments of man.

Psalm 26:3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes: and I have walked in Your truth.

David knows and has experienced God’s loving-kindness and faithfulness. “It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: Great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 David has walked in God’s truth by meditating of God’s word day and night, Psalm 1:2. “Your word is true from the beginning,” Psalm 119:160a. 

Jesus prayed to His Father, “Sanctify them through Your truth, Your word is truth,” John 1717. It is by continuing in God’s word that we know the truth and it is the truth that sets us free, John 8:31-32. We are freed from the philosophies and vain deceit of this world, from the traditions of men, and from the false belief systems of the world that are contrary to Christ,” Colossians 2:8, through following the light of God’s word..

Psalm 26:4-5 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.

We are in the world, but not of the world. We must not conform to the fashions of the world, but to the word of God. Jesus prayed, “I pray not that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil,” John 17:15. Jesus told His disciples, “If you were of the world, the world would love you: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you,” John 15:19.

But God has sent us into the world to be a witness, to let our lights so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven, Matthew 5:16. Jesus told us we “are the salt of the earth.” He said, “but if the salt has lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men,” Matthew 5:13.

Salt in the time of Christ preserved fish and meat for later consumption. The salt kept fish and meat from going rotten. If we, God’s people, lose our Godly convictions, which help preserve the world from sin, we have lost our usefulness for God. The world goes downhill, because we don’t stand up for Jesus. We conform to the world, instead of convicting the world of their sin. We become lukewarm and God warns us, “I will spew you out of My mouth,” Revelation 3:16.

Psalm 26:6-7 I will wash my hands in innocence: so, will I compass Your altar, O Lord: That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works.

The gospel or “good news” is that we have been freed from the guilt and the power of sin and of darkness and have been translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of (our) sins, Colossians 1:13. Therefore, we can sing and rejoice in such a wonderful salvation for neither sin nor death have dominion over us, Romans 6. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord,” Romans 6:23.

Psalm 26:8 Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your honour dwells.

Jesus said, “Where two or three are together in My name, there am I in the midst of them,” Matthew 18:20. Please do “not forsake the assembling of yourselves together as some do, but exhort one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching,” Hebrews 10:25. We should love to commune with God with other believers as often as possible. Under future persecution it may be impossible.

Psalm 26:9-10 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

The ungodly rich of the world use their money to corrupt judgment and rule nations. “For your merchants were the great men of the earth; for by their sorceries were all nations deceived,” Revelation 18:23b. “Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seat? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by which you are called? James 2:6b-7. Though the ungodly rich conspire against God, and against the Godly, God shall have them in derision and vex them in His sore displeasure and wrath in the last days, Psalm 2:4-5. “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord,” Romans 12:19b.

Psalm 26:11-12 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. My foot stands in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord.

David knows it is God’s redeeming power and mercy that keeps him. We know the same. “It is God that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,” Jude 24. Therefore, we can sing and rejoice, for it is the joy of the Lord, the joy of our salvation, the joy of knowing our sins have been forgiven through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross; that gives us the strength to carry on. “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me,” Philippians 4:13. “Nothing in my hands I bring. Simply to Your Cross I cling,” Augustus Montague Toplady (1740-1778). Let us cling to the cross and find fulness of joy! Amen?

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood, From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure, Save me from its guilt and power.

Not the labour of my hands, Can fulfil Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow,
All could never sin erase, Thou must save, and save by grace.

Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress, Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly, Wash me, Saviour, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath, When my eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown, See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee.

Originally Published  January 25, 2025

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1 Kings 4 KJV

 

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Salmo 26 y Roca Eterna

Salmo 26. Un Salmo de David con comentarios de Dennis Edwards

Salmo 26:1 Júzgame, oh Señor, porque en mi integridad he andado; en el Señor he confiado; por tanto, no resbalaré.

El rey Saúl acusaba falsamente a David de conspirar contra él, de intentar acecharlo para matarlo y arrebatarle el reino. Saúl también acusó al Sumo Sacerdote de estar en complicidad con David. "¿Por qué habéis conspirado contra mí, tú y el hijo de Isaí... para que se levantara contra mí, acechándome, como hoy?" (1 Samuel 22:13).

El enemigo de nuestra alma es el acusador de los santos, "quien los acusa noche y día delante de nuestro Dios" (Apocalipsis 12:10b). Aunque nuestro adversario nos acusa, lo hemos vencido "por medio de la sangre del Cordero y de la palabra de nuestro testimonio" (Apocalipsis 12:11a). Nuestro testimonio es que hemos creído en el nombre del unigénito Hijo de Dios, “y no hemos negado su nombre” (Apocalipsis 3:8b).

Porque no hemos negado su nombre, “sino que hemos guardado la palabra de su paciencia” (en otras palabras, hemos guardado su palabra incluso bajo burla y persecución); “Él también nos guardará de la hora de la prueba que ha de venir sobre el mundo entero, para probar a los que moran sobre la tierra” (Apocalipsis 3:10).

Es Dios quien nos guardará de caer y nos presentará sin mancha delante de su gloria con gran alegría (Judas 24), porque somos lavados en su sangre y no amamos nuestras vidas hasta la muerte (Apocalipsis 12:11b). Estos son los que han salido de la gran tribulación, y han lavado sus ropas y las han emblanquecido en la sangre del Cordero (Apocalipsis 7:14b). Es la sangre de Jesucristo su Hijo la que nos limpia de todo pecado (1 Juan 1:7).

Los que hemos creído y obedecido podemos estar seguros de esto: que el que comenzó en nosotros la buena obra, la perfeccionará hasta el día de Jesucristo (Filipenses 1:6). Y yo les doy vida eterna, y nadie las puede arrebatar de mi mano. Mi Padre que me las dio, es mayor que todos; y nadie las puede arrebatar de la mano de mi Padre”, Juan 10:28-29.

Salmo 26:2 Examíname, oh Señor, y pruébame; prueba mi mente y mi corazón.

David desea ser examinado por Dios, y no por los falsos juicios del hombre.

Salmo 26:3 Porque tu misericordia está ante mis ojos, y he andado en tu verdad.

David conoce y ha experimentado la misericordia y la fidelidad de Dios. “Por la misericordia del Señor no hemos sido consumidos, porque nunca decayeron sus misericordias. Son nuevas cada mañana: Grande es tu fidelidad”. Lamentaciones 3:22-23. David ha andado en la verdad de Dios meditando en su palabra día y noche (Salmo 1:2). «Tu palabra es verdad desde el principio», Salmo 119:160a.

Jesús oró a su Padre: «Santifícalos en tu verdad; tu palabra es verdad», Juan 17:17. Es al perseverar en la palabra de Dios que conocemos la verdad, y es la verdad la que nos hace libres (Juan 8:31-32). Somos liberados de las filosofías y los vanos engaños de este mundo, de las tradiciones humanas y de los falsos sistemas de creencias del mundo que son contrarios a Cristo (Colosenses 2:8), al seguir la luz de la palabra de Dios.

Salmo 26:4-5. No me he sentado con vanos, ni me juntaré con impostores. Aborrecí la reunión de los malignos, y no me sentaré con los malvados.

Estamos en el mundo, pero no somos del mundo. No debemos conformarnos a las modas del mundo, sino a la palabra de Dios. Jesús oró: «No ruego que los quites del mundo, sino que los guardes del mal» (Juan 17:15). Jesús dijo a sus discípulos: «Si fuerais del mundo, el mundo os amaría; pero porque no sois del mundo, sino que yo os elegí del mundo, por eso el mundo os odia» (Juan 15:19).

Pero Dios nos envió al mundo para ser testigos, para que nuestra luz brille ante los hombres, de modo que vean nuestras buenas obras y glorifiquen a nuestro Padre celestial (Mateo 5:16). Jesús nos dijo que «somos la sal de la tierra». Dijo: «Pero si la sal pierde su sabor, ¿con qué será salada? No sirve para nada, sino para ser echada fuera y hollada por los hombres» (Mateo 5:13).

En tiempos de Cristo, la sal preservaba el pescado y la carne para su posterior consumo. La sal evitaba que se pudrieran. Si nosotros, el pueblo de Dios, perdemos nuestras convicciones piadosas, que ayudan a preservar al mundo del pecado, hemos perdido nuestra utilidad para Dios. El mundo se deteriora porque no defendemos a Jesús. Nos conformamos al mundo, en lugar de convencerlo de su pecado. Nos volvemos tibios y Dios nos advierte: «Te vomitaré de mi boca» (Apocalipsis 3:16).

Salmo 26:6-7 Lavaré mis manos en inocencia; así rodearé tu altar, oh Señor, para anunciar con voz de acción de gracias y contar todas tus maravillas.

El evangelio o «buenas noticias» es que hemos sido liberados de la culpa y del poder del pecado y de las tinieblas, y hemos sido trasladados al reino del amado Hijo de Dios, en quien tenemos redención por su sangre, el perdón de nuestros pecados (Colosenses 1:13). Por lo tanto, podemos cantar y regocijarnos en tan maravillosa salvación, pues ni el pecado ni la muerte tienen dominio sobre nosotros (Romanos 6). «Porque la paga del pecado es muerte, mas la dádiva de Dios es vida eterna en Cristo Jesús, Señor nuestro» (Romanos 6:23).

Salmo 26:8: «Señor, he amado la morada de tu casa, y el lugar donde reside tu gloria».

Jesús dijo: «Donde dos o tres están juntos en mi nombre, allí estoy yo en medio de ellos» (Mateo 18:20). Por favor, no dejen de congregarse, como algunos acostumbran, sino anímense unos a otros; y mucho más, al ver que aquel día se acerca (Hebreos 10:25). Debemos amar la comunión con Dios junto a otros creyentes tan a menudo como sea posible. Bajo futuras persecuciones, esto podría ser imposible.

Salmo 26:9-10: «No juntes mi alma con pecadores, ni mi vida con hombres sanguinarios; en sus manos está la maldad, y su diestra está llena de sobornos».

Los ricos impíos del mundo usan su dinero para corromper la justicia y gobernar naciones. «Porque tus mercaderes eran los grandes de la tierra; pues con sus hechicerías fueron engañadas todas las naciones» (Apocalipsis 18:23b). ¿Acaso no os oprimen los ricos y os llevan ante el tribunal? ¿No blasfeman contra el digno nombre con que sois llamados? Santiago 2:6b-7. Aunque los ricos impíos conspiren contra Dios y contra los justos, Dios los ridiculizará y los castigará con su ira y furor en los últimos días, Salmo 2:4-5. «Mía es la venganza; «Yo pagaré, dice el Señor», Romanos 12:19b.

Salmo 26:11-12: «Pero yo andaré en mi integridad; redímeme y ten misericordia de mí. Mi pie está firme en camino recto; en las congregaciones bendeciré al Señor».

David sabe que es el poder redentor y la misericordia de Dios lo que lo sostiene. Nosotros también lo sabemos. «Dios es poderoso para guardarlos sin caída y para presentarlos sin mancha delante de su gloria con gran alegría», Judas 24. 

Por lo tanto, podemos cantar y regocijarnos, porque es el gozo del Señor, el gozo de nuestra salvación, el gozo de saber que nuestros pecados han sido perdonados mediante el sacrificio de Cristo en la cruz, lo que nos da la fuerza para seguir adelante. «Todo lo puedo en Cristo que me fortalece», Filipenses 4:13. «Nada traigo en mis manos». «A Tu Cruz me aferro», Augustus Montague Toplady (1740-1778). ¡Aferrémonos a la cruz y hallemos plenitud de gozo! ¿Amén?

Roca eterna, hendida por mí, permíteme refugiarme en Ti;

que el agua y la sangre, que fluyeron de Tu costado traspasado,

sean la doble cura del pecado, sálvame de su culpa y poder.

Ni el trabajo de mis manos puede cumplir las exigencias de Tu ley;

aunque mi celo no tuviera descanso, aunque mis lágrimas fluyeran eternamente,

nada podría borrar el pecado, Tú debes salvar, y salvar por gracia.

Nada traigo en mis manos, simplemente a Tu cruz me aferro;

desnudo, vengo a Ti en busca de vestidura, indefenso, busco en Ti la gracia:

sucio, corro a la fuente, lávame, Salvador, o moriré.

Mientras respiro este aliento fugaz, cuando mis ojos se cierren en la muerte,

cuando me eleve a mundos desconocidos, te veré en Tu juicio. Trono,

Roca de los Siglos, hendida para mí, permíteme esconderme en Ti.

Publicado originalmente el 25 de enero de 2025

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