“Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4, CSB)
We are a bit embarrassed by grief. The emotions and realities of loss are deep and dark. And yet, the world goes on, and we blame them or ourselves for the disconnect. Maybe we’re even mad at God for our loss and feel He is uncaring. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Isaiah prophesied concerning Jesus, “He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53:3–4, NASB95)
Think about that. Jesus, God the Son, experienced sorrow, loss, and grief. He does understand. He experienced the loss of loved ones, including his foster father Joseph, his cousin John, and his friend Lazarus. He felt the loss that comes with rejection from his family, hometown, and others. And that just accounts for the human side of Jesus. The divine side also has sorrows, losses, and grief when His love is rejected.
He can comfort us in every loss and season of grief. And as we are comforted, we can comfort others. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4, NASB95)
That last part is important. We are often unable to heal from loss until we can look past our grief and comfort others in their grief. There is also one more aspect when Christ-followers experience grief and loss. There will be a day when sorrow will be no more, “So the ransomed of the Lord will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, And everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.” (Isaiah 51:11, NASB95)
Other verses for this promise (Compiled by David Wilkerson)
- Psalm 23:4
- 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
- Psalm 94:19
- Isaiah 49:13
- 2 Corinthains 1:3-4
- Isaiah 51:12
- Proverbs 10:22
- Psalm 119:50
- Matthew 5:4
- Luke 12:7
- Isaiah 61:1-3
- John 14:18
- Job 11:15-16
- Isaiah 40:1
- Romans 8:28
- Psalm 51:17
- Isaiah 66:2
- Psalm 147:3
- Promises: Season of Grief - March 12, 2025
- Promises: When Persecuted? - March 10, 2025
- Promises: Are You Impatient? - March 5, 2025
