I know sadness. Heartbreak. Sorrow. Hurt. I've felt it inside my skin. There is so little that can be said to alleviate that kind of pain and loss. I always appreciated those who tried as long as they didn't use clichés or hand out well-worn scriptures which, instead of actually giving comfort, come off as platitudes.
Serious loss cannot be understood by those who've never experienced it. You can't simulate that kind of ache. Really: some people never recover. It's like too much of them has died with the one they lost.
People on the outside of grief seem to want to hurry it along. Not because they're insensitive - although some are - but because it's too much for them to see their loved one hurting so badly. They want it to pass quickly. So things will be back to "normal". It's unfair, but they fail to realize it.
Christians receive built-in hope in Jesus, but He suffered more than anyone and He was no stranger to pain or tears. He knew the condition of hearts intimately, the failings of the human race. He wanted them to be forgiven so He gave His life for just that opportunity. I imagine He continues to weep in heaven over the horrors here on earth borne out of sinful hearts corrupted by the flesh and the enemy of the human soul. He knows the way of sadness and suffering, but He still offers hope to all - if they choose to turn to Him and lay out their sufferings to Him, seek His forgiveness, His comfort, His peace, His truth.
Honestly, I don't know how I made it through those first 30 years of my life without Him. Somehow He guarded my life and protected me in spite of me. There was a lot of self-induced pain, frustrating, terrible mistakes, bad conduct. Not at all how I was raised. Still, Jesus gave me the opportunity to enlist His salvation for my life. I knew when I finally found Him, I had met and found Truth. Nothing was or is better than Jesus.
Pain doesn't end with Jesus. In fact, sometimes it accelerates. We know He's there, and that's the difference-maker. The game-changer. The ultimate survival kit. Even with Him, we often fail to make it through our trials triumphantly. We are inherently weak. He makes us strong.
Just want to say, I'm truly sorry for the pain some of you are experiencing. There are no words sometimes to give real comfort. But there's only One who can manage such a huge endeavor. Jesus loves you. This I know . . .
Father, you are close to the brokenhearted and comfort those who are crushed in spirit. I pray your comfort and blessing over those who hurt deep. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.