God Comes Alongside the Brokenhearted

As someone who has had depression in the past, my first reaction was to withdraw socially. I felt like no one would understand what I was going through. However, this is quite the contrary. Regardless of our race or socioeconomic class, we will all experience grief in our lifetime.

According to the US Census Bureau, about 2.5 million people die in the United States annually, each leaving an average of five grieving people behind. It’s estimated that 1.5 million children (5% of children in the United States) have lost one or both parents by age 15. The statistics are astonishing and clear that we are not alone in our grief.

As a bereaved community, we have unlimited access to our Savior, who knows the emotional depths of love and loss because He has experienced them. In John 11, we see Jesus brought to tears (John 11:35, NIV) as he witnessed two sisters, Mary and Martha, and their community grieving the death of their brother and his friend Lazarus. Through empathy, Jesus understands our pain, and through unconditional love and compassion, He comes alongside us as we grieve.

The beauty of God’s promises for a grieving heart is that we are not alone in our grief. Psalms 34:18, NIV reminds us of the heart of God who is, “near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” As we live with our grief, we are blessed to have the promise that God will comfort us (Matthew 5:4, NIV) throughout our bereavement journey.

Moment of Reflection

Reflect on the reassurance of God’s promise to come alongside you as you grieve. How does His promise provide hope for your grieving heart?