Every Friday I join a community of bloggers for Five Minute Friday. One word prompt, five minutes. The prompt this week is … Grief.
I looked at the word before heading to bed and thought, “What a sad word choice.” I had decided I would skip writing this week. But then this morning found my head spinning with thoughts and well, here I am …
Grief – it’s the overwhelming feeling of sadness, distress over pain or loss.
That’s how I would define it and in the typing out those very words, the realization comes that we all have felt grief this year.
It probably has hit us all in different forms, the pain and losses may not be exactly the same. But this year, we all lost something.
Loved ones or friends.
Income.
Time spent with those we love.
Holiday and birthday celebrations.
School.
Church.
Hugs.
See what I mean? We all have lost something to some degree.
One thing I do know is this – we do not grieve like those with no hope. And I know when Paul wrote those words, he was referring to physical death. But no matter the source of our grief, we always have hope in and through Christ.
And this is the hope we have –
“You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!” (Psalm 30:11-12, NLT)
May we persevere and hold onto Jesus. He will yet again turn our grief to joy.
In the meantime, may we sing praises to Him and not be silent.
Photo by Hugues de BUYER-MIMEURE on Unsplash
Today I am joining …
Joanne, you brought a joyful hope to moments of grief…joyful dancing still to come from Jesus Himself. One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 35:10, “And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (ESV)
Thank you, Joanne, for changing your mind and writing about Grief! I too, wrestled with the word. But you have written an inspirational message for us all. Take care of you in these days. Karen 🙂 (FMF #9)
Oh man, I’m getting knocked around with “hope” this week. I think God is pushing me towards better understanding hope. Thank you for being a part of that voice.
Amie, FMF #16
He is our Joy. Our Peace. Our Hope. #7
For hope to rise within us,
well-formed, one day completed,
we must hold fast to the trust
that God has not retreated
from this world of strife and pain,
from our vile disobedience;
no, indeed, He does remain
and daily offers recompense
to our vain and foolish hearts
that writhe in dull despair;
it is His Holy Hand that parts
the gloom, and give us air
and the chance to see His face,
even in this bitter place.
Amen, Andrew!
May we hold fast to the truth that God has not retreated from this world. He remains with us, among us, and within us.
amen! grateful for the hope we have despite our losses, especially in 2020.
Amen Joanne. So beautifully spoken. Hope, Hope, Hope. Glory to God. Thank you for sharing hope. Blessings.
Visit from FMF#15
We do not grieve like those with no hope. Amen our hope is in Christ alone. God bless Loretta fmf #2
Yes Hope is a gift!
Amen, Joanne. It’s been a struggle for me, but how much more for people who don’t have Jesus and His promise of hope.
So glad you didn’t skip this week. Thanks for sharing.
(visiting from #30)