The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken. (Psalm 34:17-20)

The God Of Comfort

Grief is common to all mankind. In a lifetime, everyone experiences sadness and will experience the pain of a broken heart. As common as the human spirit, all feel the feeling of loss. Every experience is different. Some endure grievous loss. Others try to understand the void left by the absence of a loved one. Pain and suffering come from many different parts of life. Natural events change lives, personal choices reap consequences of sorrow, and often, pain is inflicted by the carelessness of others or evil intentions of those who seek to bring harm. Whatever the reason, grief is real, painful, without end, and void of understanding.

God did not intend for His creation to suffer. He places them in the Garden of Eden, a Paradise of security, happiness, and fellowship with the Divine. Men often ask why bad things happen, and God has the answer. Pain and suffering came as a consequence of sin. When Adam and Eve lost the garden, they gained evil, pain, and suffering. Shortly after the story of Eden, Adam and Eve found their son dead in the field, killed by his brother. Their son had killed their son. The wickedness of Cain killed Abel, and the plague of suffering and pain has been felt ever since.

Mankind has brought the worst of humanity against itself. In the face of such suffering, God has given a message of hope and comfort. Who can bring peace to the heart of a suffering soul than the One who created that soul? God knows how to bring answers to grieving hearts. The hurt may not diminish sorrow, but the heart can mend itself to allow joy to return.

When the people of God cry out to Him, He hears and helps them find answers to escape their troubles. The answer to grief can only be found in a relationship with God. As a child weeps before his father, a child of God weeps before his heavenly Father, seeking solace and peace. God hears! He is not unaware of the depth of suffering. The Lord has a name for every star in the sky as a testimony that of the eight billion souls dwelling on Earth, God knows the grief of every heart – and He cares! He wants to deliver the troubled soul and will if the heart is willing.

The poet David knew the protecting care of His heavenly Father. David knew the closer he drew near to God, the greater his comfort was found. His relationship with God was the key to understanding life’s sorrows. His heart was broken, and contrite before the Lord, and the Lord brought him peace. The righteous suffer many things. God is aware of every one of the sufferings. When a man trusts in God to deliver him, he will find the joy of deliverance. There will be many sorrows in life, and the heart will discover loss on many levels. The Lord has the answer to sorrow and loss.

God does not promise to remove grief and grieving. There is a healing process for those who exercise grief in the presence of God. Standing at the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus wept – and He was the Son of God. There are lessons to be learned. The promise of God to wipe away all the tears does not happen until eternity. In the meantime, God gives those who seek Him hope, peace, joy, and comfort. He will draw near to them and give them the answers to the cruel hand of pain and suffering. It may not be the answer we want, but it is the right answer to grief. Let God fill your heart with His love, and you will find the courage to face grief. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.