Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshipped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
Job 1:20-21
Grief is hard. It is humbling and painful. Naturally, I try to avoid acknowledging it and gravitate towards stuffing my emotions. It is challenging to allow others, even God, in on how I am truly feeling. In reality, God knows my heart and he knows exactly what I/we are walking through. But am I going to CHOOSE to trust him fully and allow myself to be broken before him? YES, I am.
This can be especially hard if our muscle memory is to be strong for other people. If we are not careful, we will get used to holding ourself together as we serve others. I have unknowingly done this and have allowed emotions to bottle up over time.
Everyone grieves, and everyone is in need of comfort and encouragement. As I have matured, I have allowed God to lead me into a deeper relationship with him. This has happened as I put my trust in him in the depths of grief. Choosing to invite the Lord into the grief is an intentional step I am taking toward healing.
As Job 1 describes above, God has given us everything we have. He gave me an awesome father that pointed me to an amazing Heavenly Father. In God’s timing, he gives, and he takes away. And through it all, he is worthy to be praised. We can trust him!