“Blessed are those who mourn, for they WILL be comforted.”

Matthew 5:4 NIV, emphasis my own.

When you have to let go of a loved one, grief can seem like a consuming rain.

It’s all you think about. It’s all you know. You slip out of bed in the morning to find your feet are still damp. You go to bed at night, and your hair is still dripping wet. You’re drenched in it all day. It’s hard to breathe and move on because the rains are so heavy, and when you’re soaked, you’re heavier too.

There are moments you step out of the rain to smile, maybe even laugh. The sun shines on your face, and you have peace. But something reminds you of the loss – a song, your loved one’s voice over the phone, a photograph on the refrigerator, a private memory – and suddenly, you find yourself in the rain, holding your breath.

Your emotions are on a roller coaster ride. One minute they’re up, and you can function. The next minute, they’re down so low it seems this terrible ride has veered into a torrential downpour. And no matter how hard you try, you can’t unbuckle the seatbelt.

But God doesn’t leave you to drown in your sorrow.

When you cry in the dark, He sees you. When you hide behind a smile, He pulls you close and reminds you that He knows your heart. And when you fall apart and shatter into a million pieces, He holds you and reminds you that He loves you and will mend those pieces, healing your broken heart.

He reminds you that you’re still here and you have work to do – He has a purpose for you. He whispers beautiful words like streams of golden sunlight piercing the darkness of your grief. Flashes of light. The brilliance of hope.

He reminds you that death cannot steal the hope and promise of eternal life through your Savior, Jesus Christ.

Oh, precious soul. God is your Shelter and will continue to shelter you as you grieve. The Holy Spirit is your Comforter and will continue to comfort you while you mourn.

When the rains seem especially heavy, God will use others to love you, speak comfort, and hold you – their comfort is like an umbrella offering a safe place to catch your breath.

You’re never alone in your grief, dear soul. Your heavenly Father has you covered and will see you through the rains and, one day, into the sunlight, where grief is nothing more than a puddle you’ll dance and splash through on your way home. 

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