Grief is Pain - Preparation

My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh, the walls of my heart! My heart is beating wildly; I cannot keep silent.

Jeremiah 4:19 NRSV

Thought

Grief is the pain of wanting things to be as they were once, yet knowing that they never will be again. In faith you believe beyond doubt that your loved one is with God, but you are human. You are in pain. You hurt. God gives you strength to endure the desolate pain of grief. God promises that grief and pain will not last forever, that you will be restored and made whole again. God is with you as you grieve.

Prayer

God, I cannot keep silent. Hear my cry of pain. My heart is beating wildly with the anguish of grief. Amen.

Assurance

In grief, the head cannot lead; it must follow the heart.