Griefs - Good, Bad and Ugly

"Good grief, Charlie Brown!"  The poor guy!  Lucy never had any patience for all of Charlie's problems and feelings.  I'm thankful for my live-in best friend, my husband, who does his best to understand.  So many times grief can hit us in funny ways. 

There's the grief of distance.  We live on another continent from all our loved ones big and small.  Thinking too much about what they might be doing each day can be overwhelming when I have to admit that I don't always know.  The little ones are growing and I'm not there to go to that school thing or that party.  My college boy didn't have anyone there on the family weekend this month.  My parents aren't getting any younger and neither is my mother-in-law even if she won't admit it.  Grieving too much about all my loved ones can be a bad thing.

There's the grief of mistakes.  I can't deal too much about the crazy years when one of our sons seemed bent on destruction.  If I consider all the what ifs and how comes, my mood can become somber in a hurry.  And then there are all the other crazy things I've ever done and could I have done better or differently.  Grieving too much about all my past mistakes can be an ugly thing.

There is the grief of shortfalls.  I find this one mostly true in regard to ministry.  Have I done enough?  How can I do more?  Is my testimony strong?  What will God say on that Great Day?  A certain sadness can be overbearing after long, hard, seemingly fruitless trips to the interior.  Grieving too much about all my ministry shortfalls can be a good thing if it moves me to improve as much as I can.

What does God say about all our griefs?  Lamentations 3:32 says, "Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion According to the multitude of His mercies."  Grief happens.  How could it not in this crazy fallen world?  Jesus suffered it time and again.  Isaiah speaks of the grief of our Savior on the cross.  Ah, but God shows us compassion in the midst of our sorrows.  

It's not always easy to look for God's goodness and mercy.  Sometimes it's easier to just wallow in the dark!  We can look to our God can bring joy in the mourning!  No, that's not a misspelling.  God can show happiness in the middle of our grief moments.  

As I look back I can see how God allowed certain events to happen that have brought me to a new joy.  I can acknowledge that living far from family is hard, but I am happy where I am and in what I am doing.  I can pray for my family and visit as often as I can.  I am able to take a deep breath on bad days and give thanks.

Thank you, God, for the griefs and the joys.  "Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning."  Psalm 30:5b