Grieving with our Future Hope

Key Passages: Psalm 23:4; Isaiah 26:3 

Devotional: 

God, how could You? How could You allow me to experience such uncontainable joy and giddy elation knowing that in your sovereignty, this excitement would never come into fruition? How could You allow deep dread and fear to sink my soul to the depths of depression? How could You allow me to hope for good things to come with unhindered confidence knowing that the plans I crafted would never come to be? How could You allow this miscarriage? What did I do wrong? In the fog of loss, the one verse that came to mind almost seemed to mock me… “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in you.” Haven’t I trusted in You, Lord? I am deep in the valley of the shadow of death, where are you God? 

Everything in my flesh wanted to retreat inward, to be private within my suffering and to disassociate. But God in His goodness provided me with close counsel that would go into the depths with me, they comforted me and pointed me to Christ’s comfort. They grieved with me and allowed me to process my pain and confusion without judgement. Although painful and uncomfortable, I shared about my loss before I felt ready to do so, and in that vulnerability, God showed me His loving kindness in others’ sympathy. 

Everything in my flesh wanted to run from God, but I remembered Psalm 23, that in deep darkness, I do not have to be afraid of what I might find because Jesus promised to be with me. Christ’s presence is all that I need. His Word is firm guidance. It protects me in darkness, where I cannot see the light. As I am in tune with God’s heart and sense His presence, I can take the next step, knowing that I do not need to know the following step. As my mind is fixed on Christ and His unchanging character, I can trust that He is infinitely good, infinitely faithful, infinitely loving, infinitely sovereign. I can trust that Jesus Himself will keep me in perfect peace. God does the keeping. I do the trusting. I do not have to be afraid of darkness, depression, or even death because I know that I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

Today, how can you lean into the difficult and the hard? Everything in our flesh wants to run away from the valley, but remember that the Lord desires to walk with you through the darkness and He wants to celebrate with you on the mountain top. God delights to stand with you at the overlook, enjoying the view of what your perseverance has produced. God wants to strengthen your faith, to build your character for eternity’s purposes, and to sanctify you for His glory. Today, have heavenly perspective in your suffering. 

Application Question: What hard thing is the Lord calling you to lean into today? 

Further Reading: Matthew 11:28-30; 1 Peter 4 

Written by Sarah West