Grief + Hope does not equal sadness
This week I missed my sister like crazy! I grieved but I was never sad! At first, I found this strange but then I had to ask myself why does my grieving have to equate to sadness or tears especially if I’m adding hope.
I feel someone asking, “ What if all I have is grief? I can’t find hope today!”
Well, let’s just look at the word grief. When researching things I don’t understand I will always search two places: the Bible and the dictionary.
According to the dictionary grief is:
1a: deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement
his grief over his son’s death
b: a cause of such suffering
life’s joys and griefs
I hear you as you are reading saying “Wait! Suffering does sound like sadness.”
Now let’s look at the Bible for suffering:
“In his kindness, God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.”
1 Peter 5:10 NLT
3 things are promised to you through 1 Peter 5:10
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Your suffering will be removed “So after you have suffered a little while…”
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Your spirit will be restored “He will restore, support, and strengthen you…”
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Your structure will be rebuilt “And He will place you on a firm foundation.”
My hope is attached to the fact that I won’t be disappointed.
I had a moment this week in prayer where I asked God, “Am I living in this bubble of hope that one day is going to pop? Will my hope let me fall?” That same day I was in an amazing virtual bible study of the book of Romans and this scripture came up.