For Those Who Grieve
“And because our God is close to us, we have this promise in our grief: one day, all of our sorrow will come undone. It will unravel and be made perfect because of Christ.”
“The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 CSB)
I see you. I really do. It’s the most celebrated holiday of the year. Lights twinkle, choirs sing, snow falls, children wait in anticipation. It’s truly magical. Except when it’s not.
For those who grieve, this time of the year hurts more than usual. It serves as a reminder of what is missing, whether that’s a person, a marriage, a child. It seems to shine a bright light on the void, magnifying sorrow. If this is you, please know it’s ok for this season to feel more painful than jolly.
I struggled for a while with why. Why, of all times of the year, my loved one passed away during her favorite time of the year—a time of the year she never failed to make magical. Celebrating Christmas without her felt like sharp, raw pain. It was simply motion. More like a blur. I just wanted to get through it. I wondered if I could ever celebrate this time of the year without remembering the trauma.
But then I saw with new eyes a truth that helped heal my ache: what better time of the year for her to meet the Savior she so lovingly celebrated. What better gift at Christmas than to behold Him fully. She loved Christmas here. But she was witnessing the entire reason we celebrate.
Here’s what I want to share with you who grieve: God is close to us. So close that He came down from His throne in heaven to dwell here. To live a human life, to walk our roads, to hunger and thirst. To die a brutal death so that He could abolish it forever. To redeem us and be our living hope. And because our God is close to us, we have this promise in our grief: one day, all of our sorrow will come undone. It will unravel and be made perfect because of Christ.
If you’re grieving right now, if you are barely able to breathe, God sees you. And while it may seem impossible, I know, God is near. He is more near than we can comprehend. And Christmas is proof of that.