To the Woman Who Has Lost So Much…

To the Woman Who Has Lost So Much…

I see you. And God sees you. Your pain does not go unnoticed. Your tears do not fall in vain. You are not alone in your sorrow.

I know that your grief is an unwanted companion, draped over you like a wet blanket, holding you entirely too tight. You want to shake it off but it’s so heavy. I understand. I know the weight of its bulk, the heaviness of its enveloping hold on you.

I know the hollow ache in your chest from crying, the throbbing pain in your head, the puffy swelling and burning of your eyes. Your grief has left tangible evidence of the havoc it has reeked. The numbness in your heart is grief’s calling card, as if you could ever forget that he was here.

And you are never going to get over it.

No, despite what well-meaning friends may say, you will not get over this. You will move on. You will move forward. But you will never forget what you have lost and you never should. The pain may decrease over time, but what you lost was precious to you, far too beloved to dismiss from your mind. Memories of feelings and faces and friendships are what keep your loss alive in your heart, so don’t push them away. Treasure them and they will never leave you.

The Lord is near the broken hearted (Psalm 34:18). He is close to all whose hearts are crushed by pain. (The Passion Translation). If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, He’ll help you catch your breath (The Message).

God knows. God cares. God loves you. God grieves with you. God is near you. And only God can heal you.

To the woman who has lost so much, there are no words to make this better. Only God can offer any kind of real comfort. Only His Word can soothe. Only His love can heal. Only His plans can give you a future and a hope.

Father God, You know the hearts of the women who are hurting today. Hold them closely. You know the cries of the women who are grieving. Love them tenderly. And in due time, replace their sorrow with joy and gladness. Help them to love again and laugh again. Help them to move forward. And help them to never forget their loss. For something so precious and so treasured is simply a gift from You that You’ve allowed them to hold for a time. May they know and love the Giver as much as they loved the gift. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.