Grief empties the heart of sorrow and fills it with hope again.
When we purpose to dedicate time and space in our life to the Lord, and give Him an all-access pass to our hearts, He has a way of exposing the good, the bad, and the ugly. In exposing the latter, the enlightened heart will find itself in a place of grief.
Having carved out time to hear God’s voice above the noise, my heart has been weeping over losses rooted in misconception, misunderstanding, and miscommunication, many of which were rooted in sin and shame. At the same time, my heart has been rejoicing, grateful for those things the Father opened my blind eyes to see.
Both misfortune and misdirection in life have a way of blinding us to truth, believing our flesh or people of influence, rather than seeking the Father, taking Him at His Word, and choosing to believe His truth.
When the Lord unravels that kind of messiness in our heart it produces grief, but praise God, it’s a grief that leads to hope and greater grace as we repent and choose righteousness. It is a hope-filled grace. Life-changing grace. Freedom-finding grace. Breathe-easier grace. Cease-striving grace.
As the old hymn goes, God offers “grace that is greater than all our sin.” May we grieve our losses and find our hope in Him.
RECLAIM YOUR HEART: Ask the Lord a simple question and wait to hear His still, small answer. Consider these examples to get you started.
God…
where am I harboring sin in my heart?
how am I grieving the Holy Spirit?
is anything hindering my spiritual growth?
what has me blinded in my walk with You?
where did fear take root in my heart?
what keeps me from trusting You?