The Grieving Heart - The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional

Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heartis like taking someone’s coat in cold weatheror pouring vinegar in a wound.

Proverbs 25:20

This proverb is about the incorrect way to show empathy and compassion to others.

Someone whose heart is heavy is someone who’s grieving. When someone is grieving—a new widow, the mother of a terminally ill child or prodigal son—we might think our job is to cheer them up or to help them get over it. Yes, it’s true that we as Christians don’t grieve as others grieve, but listen: we do grieve. There are times we desperately need to grieve. Romans 12:15 encourages us to “weep with those who weep.” Don’t be afraid of their pain. Be willing to emotionally slip into their shoes and let their sorrow touch your heart.

When Jesus looked around at all the weary, broken people, he was moved with compassion. He was touched by the feeling of their infirmities, and he still is! As we grow in the Lord, he makes us more like him. He gives us his warm and tender mercies.

There is another matter I’ve noticed. Those grieving are often given an abundance of attention in the first months. After that, though, others tend to avoid them because they don’t know what to say anymore. This is what we need to learn. We don’t need to say much, if anything. Actually, Job’s comforters were initially commendable; they came to him and sat with him in his misery. But then they opened their mouths. Sometimes the grieving just need a hug and a smile, a little human touch from someone who cares.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

All of us will travel the path of grieving sometime in our lives. David called it “the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4, NKJV). It can be a lonely time, but it can also be a holy time. As David discovered, the Lord not only saw his sorrow, he was right there with him. Don’t be afraid to bring all of your doubts and fears and struggles and even anger to him.

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.

What a privilege it is to carry everything to God in prayer.

—JOSEPH M. SCRIVEN, “WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS”

One Year Bible Reading

Jeremiah 31:27–32:44; 1 Timothy 3:1-16; Psalm 88:1-18; Proverbs 25:20-22