Beckett reflects on grief following her husband's death, presenting it as a legitimate spiritual experience rather than something to be hastily overcome. She argues that God's covenantal grace runs parallel with human suffering throughout history, culminating in Christ's New Covenant, and that believers can grieve with hope because their tears are sovereignly appointed by God for their good (Psalm 56:8; 1 Peter 5:7). This perspective distinguishes Christian grief from unbelieving sorrow, as faith in God's providential care and purposes transforms suffering into an opportunity for deeper trust and eventual joy.
What does the Bible say about grief and loss?
The Bible teaches that grief is a natural response to loss, and it can lead to deeper faith and understanding of God's comfort.
Moreover, as Christians, we are reminded that our grief is not without hope. Unlike those who do not know Christ, our sorrow is marked by the assurance that God is present in our pain and that our tears are known to Him. In the same way that Christ's resurrection brings life from death, our grief can lead to a greater appreciation for the joy and comfort that accompany His presence, thus teaching us about His grace in our lives.
How do we know God's grace is sufficient in times of suffering?
God's grace is experienced through the presence of the Holy Spirit, providing comfort and hope during suffering.
In the context of grief, the author's reflection draws a parallel between experiencing loss and the realization of God's unwavering presence. Just as believers in the Old Testament relied on God's grace, we also have assurance that His grace sustains us. The community of faith provides an avenue for sharing burdens, reflecting the biblical call to bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2). Hence, we can trust that even our deepest sorrows are held within God’s purpose, and His grace transforms our grief into joy as we lean on Him.
Why is the Holy Spirit important for Christians during trials?
The Holy Spirit serves as our Comforter, guiding and assuring us of God's presence in our struggles.
This comfort is vital as believers navigate the complexities of grief. The author highlights that our suffering can lead us to a deeper understanding of God's grace, experienced through the Holy Spirit’s presence. This divine companionship during hardships reassures us of God’s promises and transforms our perspective on pain, enabling us to face it with hope and faith. The Spirit not only strengthens us but also connects us to the broader story of God’s redemptive work throughout history, assuring us that we share in a covenant of grace that has been in effect since before the foundation of the world.
I was asked the other day how I was doing since I lost my husband and this is the picture that flashed into my mind. It took me by surprise and yet I understood the connection. It was a feeling of being so fragile that if you blew on me I would scatter just as the seeds are doing in this picture.
I understand and know different things now. Most often we can only truly know life by the experiences we have and those experiences affect us in our person, in who we are. They bring real pain, real suffering, and real sorrow in grief but they also bring real joy and real peace. This has been one of those times for me.
I understand the suffering of another widow and how the loss of her husband cut deep into her very being, I didn’t know that before. That happened just the other morning at the post office and it really doesn’t take many words to convey to each other the shared loss. It is a loss and longing I could never have imagined until I experienced it and I know now that it was the same for them. I will remember that going forward.
So many want to put grief into a time frame but I’m confident that it is something that God doesn’t want me to sweep under the rug or try and short cut just because it is painful. We are so often tempted to do that aren’t we instead of walking through the hardship. The grief is a companion right now that brings a whole life into perspective and I don’t want to toss it aside as if the whole life wasn’t worth this present suffering, it was the life of one God gave to me and so I’m thankful to look at it intently and to grieve over the loss of it.
Running parallel and alongside is the comfort of the Holy Spirit in faith, for we do walk by faith and not by sight. It reminds me of the unilateral/parallel covenant of Grace running throughout history since before the foundation of the world. All of the promissory covenants have been fully realized in the New Covenant in Christ. The saints of old were never without hope and never without the same Grace of God in Christ that we have today. It is the same with the eyes of faith. If we look at life through those eyes then we have great and abiding hope and comfort running parallel with us as we journey through this vale of tears.
Tears are such a blessing to us. Job says in 16:20 that his eyes poured out tears unto God. King David in Psalm 56:8 asks God to put his tears into a bottle and asked if they were not in His book? Here is what John Gill says about this verse which captures the very essence of faith and grief running parallel to each other.
Psalm 56:8 “are they not in thy book?” “verily they are; that is, the tears and afflictions of his people. They are in his book of purposes; they are all appointed by him, their kind and nature, their measure and duration, their quality and quantity; what they shall be, and how long they shall last; and their end and use: and they are in his book of providence, and are all overruled and caused to work for their good; and they are in the book of his remembrance; they are taken notice of and numbered by him, and shall be finished; they shall not exceed their bounds. These tears will be turned into joy, and God will wipe them all away from the eyes of his people.”
This is the very reason that believers grieve differently than the unbeliever. We have hope in the knowledge that the very tears that are shed are appointed to us by our Sovereign God and they have a purpose and are useful to us. He cares abundantly for us amidst the trial that brings the tears, this brings peace and joy to our souls. "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you" 1 Peter 5:7
Grace and Peace!
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