Hope: A Courageous Journey of FaithSample

DEVOTION - TODAY'S DISCUSSION "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." (1 Peter 1:6 NIV) Grief can manifest itself in our lives in many ways; the loss of a loved one, the loss of a marriage, a friendship, innocence lost, even the loss of a pet or something we cared deeply about. Grief is a different process for each person. Have you ever judged someone because they were not grieving the way you thought they should? Have you ever been deep in grief, almost paralyzed, and felt guilty for a smile or a giggle, feeling shamed for one moment of joy? It's okay to grieve differently than others. It's okay to grieve for longer than someone thinks you should, or deeper than society says is “normal.” God is our Father who grieves alongside us. God understands loss; after all, his only Son was hated, rejected, and ultimately killed. Only He can give you the strength to stay faithful through your grief, and only He can turn our grief into joy, bring triumph out of tragedy.  "Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy." (John 16: 22 NIV) Today, rejoice in the knowledge that God is with you and He is powerful enough and understands you enough, to comfort you in this moment. In the opening scripture Peter tells us "for a little while you may have had to suffer grief". "A little while" can be days, months, or years. Some grief will stay with us for a lifetime, but God will change the level and depth of the pain over time so that your life can still bear fruit and have joy. FROM "TAYLOR'S GIFT" THE BOOK A few visits later, Randy and I went outside for a walk to give the women some privacy. I told him how difficult it was to watch Tara crying all the time, unable to get out of bed. “It’s okay that you don’t want to see her sadness,” Randy said. “And it’s okay when she’s sad and you’re not. It’s even fine to be mad at her because she’s sad; just don’t act on it. Don’t do anything that would drive a wedge into your relationship.” Pam and Randy gave us permission to grieve separately and differently. Randy taught me how to accept Tara’s sadness and her need to sleep away the days. Pam told Tara it was okay if I wanted to laugh, get lost in my work, or go outside and hang out with friends. We each needed what we needed. We didn’t have to like it, but we had to respect it. Finally, someone had given us a plan for our grief—something we could follow. It was the best advice we’d ever been given. It saved our marriage. TODAY'S REFLECTIONS What are you grieving for today? Pray for God to strengthen you and comfort you in your grief. Ask Him to show you your purpose in your situation and be patient for the answer. Pray for God to lift your grief enough to have the strength to act on His divine will.