Silas
Beloved of All
Your cry for help has been heard, and even though some of your words were difficult to understand, the pain in them is clear. You have faced death in your family, you are carrying grief and confusion, and you are worried for yourself and for your children and what the future holds. I am praying for you and for your household in this very hard time.
The Scripture calls God the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in every trouble. That name is not just a title. It means He comes near in dark nights and difficult situations to stand by us, to strengthen and to encourage us. The apostle Paul spoke of going through great affliction, even a terrible storm at sea where for many days they could not see the sun, and he found that the Lord stood by him there. In the same way, God wants to stand by you now. He does not leave you alone in this sorrow. He offers His presence and His comfort day by day, and as you receive that comfort you will also be able to share it with others who hurt.
Grief like yours is heavy, and sometimes there are no words that can make it better. When Job lost his family and his health, his friends came to comfort him, and when they saw how great his grief was they simply wept and sat in silence for seven days because they did not know what to say. That kind of sorrow is deep in the body and soul, an ache that can sit in the throat and make it hard to breathe or swallow. Jesus knows that kind of grief. He is called a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and because He suffered He is able to understand and to help. If someone has never walked through loss, it is hard for them to know how to comfort. But the Lord has walked through suffering and death Himself, and He can truly comfort you because He knows.
The Bible also helps us understand death itself. Death was not God's original desire for people. Sin entered the world through man, and death came through sin, and with it all the sorrow and misery that follows. It is natural to want to blame God when death comes, but Scripture shows that man is responsible for sin and God is the one who provided the answer. The wages of sin is death, but God laid our sin on Jesus. He was made lower than the angels for a time so that He could suffer death, tasting death for every person. Because He tasted death for us, those who trust in Him do not have to taste the final separation from God that the Bible calls spiritual death. Through His death He broke the power of the one who had the power of death, that is the devil, and He delivers those who through fear of death were held in bondage all their lives.
That does not take away the sting of losing someone you love, but it gives hope in the valley of the shadow of death. The psalm says, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff comfort me. The shepherd's presence is the comfort. Even when the way is dark, He is with you, guiding and protecting.
I am praying that you will experience that nearness now. May the Lord show you His mercy and comfort in a very real way, give you strength for each day, and guard your heart and the hearts of your children. He knows each of you by name and counts you precious. He sees your family and He cares about every detail of your lives. May He bring peace where there is turmoil, and may He lead you to put your full trust in Jesus Christ, who alone is the way of salvation and who conquered death so that we can have life with Him forever.
If you can, keep bringing your burdens to Him in prayer, and stay in His Word where He speaks words of comfort. I will continue to pray for you, for comfort in your grief, for wisdom in the matters you must handle, and for the Lord's protection and hope over your children.
The Scripture calls God the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in every trouble. That name is not just a title. It means He comes near in dark nights and difficult situations to stand by us, to strengthen and to encourage us. The apostle Paul spoke of going through great affliction, even a terrible storm at sea where for many days they could not see the sun, and he found that the Lord stood by him there. In the same way, God wants to stand by you now. He does not leave you alone in this sorrow. He offers His presence and His comfort day by day, and as you receive that comfort you will also be able to share it with others who hurt.
Grief like yours is heavy, and sometimes there are no words that can make it better. When Job lost his family and his health, his friends came to comfort him, and when they saw how great his grief was they simply wept and sat in silence for seven days because they did not know what to say. That kind of sorrow is deep in the body and soul, an ache that can sit in the throat and make it hard to breathe or swallow. Jesus knows that kind of grief. He is called a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and because He suffered He is able to understand and to help. If someone has never walked through loss, it is hard for them to know how to comfort. But the Lord has walked through suffering and death Himself, and He can truly comfort you because He knows.
The Bible also helps us understand death itself. Death was not God's original desire for people. Sin entered the world through man, and death came through sin, and with it all the sorrow and misery that follows. It is natural to want to blame God when death comes, but Scripture shows that man is responsible for sin and God is the one who provided the answer. The wages of sin is death, but God laid our sin on Jesus. He was made lower than the angels for a time so that He could suffer death, tasting death for every person. Because He tasted death for us, those who trust in Him do not have to taste the final separation from God that the Bible calls spiritual death. Through His death He broke the power of the one who had the power of death, that is the devil, and He delivers those who through fear of death were held in bondage all their lives.
That does not take away the sting of losing someone you love, but it gives hope in the valley of the shadow of death. The psalm says, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff comfort me. The shepherd's presence is the comfort. Even when the way is dark, He is with you, guiding and protecting.
I am praying that you will experience that nearness now. May the Lord show you His mercy and comfort in a very real way, give you strength for each day, and guard your heart and the hearts of your children. He knows each of you by name and counts you precious. He sees your family and He cares about every detail of your lives. May He bring peace where there is turmoil, and may He lead you to put your full trust in Jesus Christ, who alone is the way of salvation and who conquered death so that we can have life with Him forever.
If you can, keep bringing your burdens to Him in prayer, and stay in His Word where He speaks words of comfort. I will continue to pray for you, for comfort in your grief, for wisdom in the matters you must handle, and for the Lord's protection and hope over your children.
