Walking Through Our Suffering

When we are walking through our suffering and are in the hard, dark places grief can bring us, we often feel like we’re alone on an island. But I want to encourage you today. No matter how you may feel, you are not alone!

I will never forget the overwhelming sense of seclusion I felt during those early months after Melanie ran ahead to Heaven. It was one of the most isolating feelings I had ever experienced. As I talked with family and close friends, I felt utterly misunderstood. They meant well, but I soon discovered that no one can truly understand unless you’ve walked this road personally. This is especially true when it involves child loss.

Soon after, I began my blog, Hope During Loss and was led to all of you. Connecting with others who were on the same path made all the difference as I continued walking the grief journey. It was then that I realized I was not alone, and my friends, you are not alone either. We are here for one another. 

A few weeks ago, our pastor was teaching on Romans 8:28, which says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” I’ve heard many preach on this over the years, but it wasn’t until he said that all things are not always good that I really sat up and paid attention. 

One of the things he shared that powerfully resonated with me is that although all things are not good, God can and will turn these things into His goodif we allow Him to. 

Walking through our suffering equips us to share with others who are suffering. When people are grieving, they want to hear from others who have suffered the same loss and have walked the same road. 

When I walked down the darkest road I’ve ever been on, I desperately needed to connect with those who have walked in the same dark place. 

We need each other. We need to be connected to those who know what we are going through. If we allow God into our lives and let him comfort us, we can turn around and comfort others with the comfort we receive. (2Corinthians 1:3-4).

My fellow grievers, I encourage you to reach out to someone else who can use some encouragement. You may think you have nothing to give, but you have likely come much further down the road of grief than another. You can still say through tears, “I don’t like it. I didn’t choose it, but I will stand and praise God anyway.” As we continue walking through our suffering, we can walk alongside another hurting heart and comfort them as we have been comforted.