When It Hurts: A Family Devotional for Sadness, Grief, and Hard DaysНамуна

Sadness and hurt can feel like they will never go away. It might seem like things will never get easier or won’t ever change. But this pain won’t last forever. Joy is coming if you hold on.

Things will get better. You might have scars from this hurt. Your pain might always be a little bit there. But it won’t be so intense. Your loss or injury might still hurt, but it won’t take your breath away. It won’t be all you can think about. The wrong done to you won’t define you unless you let it.

God has a beautiful plan for you and for your hurt. He does not enjoy our pain or use it as a tool to manipulate us, but He won’t let it go to waste. He will turn it into something beautiful. You may feel raw and empty and tender for a while. But not forever. He is the God who heals. Slow growth is still growth, and progress is not always a straight path. You might have days where you feel like you go backward more than forward and mess up more than you grow, but that’s okay. God has grace for that, and we have compassion for that, too.

If you are feeling sad or having a hard day, share it with us. If you see that someone in our family is having a hard day, remember what we have learned. Tell them you are sorry they feel hurt. Listen with empathy. Ask how you can help. Remind them with your words and actions that they are not alone. Let’s become good at encouraging each other and telling each other that we are loved. That joy is still coming.

We will go through messy days. We will go through happy days. We will go through our hurt together. There are better days ahead. Joy is still coming. Don’t give up hoping for something good. This is not the end of our story.

PARENT SHARE A STORY OF HOPE:Share how God took something hard and did something beautiful with it OR share a story of how you thought something hard would last forever and it didn’t.

Family Discussion Questions (pick 2 or more)

• What is something good you/we can look forward to?
• What is something bad you are ready to be done with?
• Do you believe that God will make this hard time into something beautiful?