God’s Grace for the Overwhelmed: Grief
“Not Right Now” (Jason Gray)
You could see the smoke from a mile away
And trouble always draws a crowd
They wanna tell me that it'll be okay
But that's not what I need right now
Not while my house is burning down
Chorus:
I know someday
I know somehow
I'll be okay
But not right now
Not right now
Tell me if the hope that you know is true
Ever feels like a lie even from a friend
When their words are salt in an open wound
And they just can't seem to understand
That you haven't even stopped the bleeding yet
Don't tell me when I'm grieving
That this happened for a reason
Maybe one day we'll talk about the dreams that had to die
For new ones to come alive
But not right now
While I wait for the smoke to clear
You don't even have to speak
Just sit with me in the ashes here
And together we can pray for peace
To the one acquainted with our grief
In time, love will do its redeeming work in the grieving Christian, but the light of redemption often comes following a period of darkness.
16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?”
20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. (John 16:16-17 20-22 ESV)
Jesus meets us in our times of grief. “You have sorrow now….” (John 16:22)
Jesus knew their trouble, confusion and painful suffering and he met them there. He didn’t shame them or tell them reasons why they should not grieve. Instead, he pointed them to a new day without mourning or sorrow.
As the disciples quickly anticipate the loss and begin to grieve, Jesus helps them by instructing them to be just as quick to anticipate the joy to come. It’s human nature to anticipate and experience grief before the loss. It’s the Christian nature to anticipate the joy that comes in the resurrection.
We are never instructed to not grieve; God’s instruction to us is to not grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Grieving is an expression of loyalty, love and longing.
Jesus has the perspective to know that your grief is temporary. “You have sorrow now….” “Now” not only acknowledges that Jesus knows of our present grieving, but that it is temporary. You may feel as if your sorrow will last forever, but it will not—Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning (Psalm 30:5). Jesus says to you, “I know that you are deeply hurting and grieving, but it is only for now.” With this acknowledgement you can begin to anticipate joy again.
Jesus is the source of your joy. It is not up to you to make joy happen. Joy is sourced in Jesus and he gives it to you. Jesus wants his joy to be in you, and that your joy may be full (John 15:11). May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13)
So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. (John 16:22 ESV) Interestingly, Jesus doesn’t say, “You will see me again.” Instead, he says, “I will see you again.” Jesus will come directly to us and exchange our grief for his glory and our hurt for his healing.
The joy that Jesus gives is a permeating permanent joy. Christian, this is an eternal reality for you.
