A Griever’s Heart

Last week, I listened to a podcast by Lysa TerKeurst. Although she spoke more about trust, much of what she said resonated with me about the universal nature of grief. A griever’s heart can be sorrowful and grieving for many reasons—certainly the loss of a loved one, but it could also be due to the loss of a relationship, a job, or even our health. You are not alone in this.

It takes a long time and significant work to find our way out of the darkness grief causes. Even if you don’t see a glimmer of light right now, I encourage you to hang on. One day, you will see it. It may only start out as a little pinprick of soft light, but another day, it may be as bright as the sunshine overhead. There is always hope, even in the darkest of times.

Another thing Lysa shared that resounded so strongly within me is this: We can have a broken heart and raised hands at the same time.

Yes! Oh, my gosh, this really is such a true statement! Have you ever found yourself having a good day, smiling (dare I say, laughing), and you are in tears the next moment? You know what? It’s totally okay. It’s okay to have a broken heart and raised hands at the same time. This is all part of the griever’s heart and how we are processing our loss.

Friends, we can trust God in the dark places, just as we can in the light. In fact, it’s even more important to place our trust in Him when we don’t understand where our lives are heading or why things have happened as they have.

Even when you feel as if you’re going to drown, God is right there for you. He’s whispering, I’ve got you! I won’t let go. Just trust me.

Our scars, the marks of our grief and loss, become our beauty marks. Just as the scripture says, only God can make beauty from the ashes, which is a metaphor for turning our pain and suffering into something beautiful and meaningful. He will turn your sadness, heartache, and loss into something good for which only he can take credit.