Psalm 23:³ He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

I will guarantee you that when David wrote Psalm 23, he wasn’t on top of the world, rather he was stricken with grief and sorrow. David suffered the death of his infant son and another son of his sought to murder him, and instead of castigating God, he turned to Him. David realized a peace without total understanding.

We are ALL subject to extreme grief as we live in a fallen world filled with sin, instant loss, failed promises, failed relationships, and all sorts of sorrow. Grief is one of the ways we know we are human beings. We feel the darkness and pain to our very core. But I am here to tell those who are going through the horrors of sorrow and grief, there is a LIGHT which shines and this is God.

During these times of grief, the devil swoops in and tempts you to read God the riot act or to try to get you to believe “there is NO light, just give up!”. And sadly that sentiment wins at times, usually with those who weren’t turning to God before this grievous circumstance enveloped their life. At which point, even though there is a light shining, they ignore it for the darkness and sadly some will never believe they’ll come out of that darkness and take their own lives.

When your loved on is grieving, pay attention! Don’t pass it off, don’t tell them to “suck it up” because it is a serious situation. It can’t be cured with drugs and alcohol which only numb the grief and darkness, but it won’t heal the sorrow. Listen to the grieving, be there for them in any way you can. Lectures on life or the Bible are probably not going to be well received. Just simply exhort them to turn the Master, the God Almighty and keep turning to Him. Telling them where they went wrong will only bring the darkness in more. Rather you has a healing agent must exhort the LIGHT which is there.

When dealing with the grieving, understand there is a VAST darkness they are going through. It seems endless. They’ll tell you this by their tears, their anxiety, their lack of sleep, their depression. So YOU must be that agent of LIGHT by simply reminding them that there is a light of God. And remember, it isn’t YOU who is going to be the healer. You are there to simply help by being there in any way you can for this grieving person. If they ask, give! If they tell you things, LISTEN! Hardly any grieving person will be in need of worldly advice, so don’t give it unless they ask.

Grieving is a process, and that timing is known to God. Some will spend days, some months, some years. There is NO set time by mankind, although mankind believes they can prompt the hand of God.

Grieving also has a PURPOSE from God. Some will need to look back during that time to see what those purposes were, and many times it is NOT what we thought or expected.

Grieving is a way God does commune with His children. The distractions are all removed. And the enemy knows this, so he will try to also commune. I can speak from experience, that during the times of extreme grief it is a minute by minute communing, and if you are turning to God, that peace will overcome the sorrow.

Lastly, no one is above such grief, not even God Himself who grieved the death of His Son Jesus Christ on the Cross. So never think you are more powerful, that your flawed willpower will be able to ignore this grief. Turn to God alone, He will see you through!