This is hard. Much harder than I would have ever imagined.
This is more painful than I would have ever thought.
I can see no end to this grief. Lord, I need patience.
When someone we love is no longer with us, we hurt. We grieve. We mourn.
Now we live with a hole in our hearts. We will never be the same.
In our hearts and minds, everything seems to be in upheaval. We don’t know what to do, or even how to feel.
We get frustrated. We don’t feel like ourselves. It seems as if we’re doing everything wrong. We can feel like failures.
We live in an instant world. We’ve been conditioned to fast answers and quick solutions. On the grief journey, nothing is easy. There are no fast answers.
It can feel like everything is grinding to a halt. We need patience.
I’m reminded of what Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans:
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer (Romans 12:12, ESV)
Be patient in tribulation. Tribulation is a heavy word. It includes the idea of great difficulty and ongoing suffering. Tribulation can wear us down and wear us out.
In the Bible, patience might be defined as enduring trials and difficulties while seeking God and waiting on His timing. Trusting God is the key to being patient.
In grief, we need to be patient with ourselves, with others, and with God. If we’re willing, God can use this grief journey to develop godly patience in us.
If you have a relationship with Christ, He lives in you. He is patient. He wants to work in and through you to produce the patience you need for daily life. Patience is part of the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23.
The Lord loves us. He invites us to lean into Him. Our love for Him is reflected in our love for ourselves and others. Loving ourselves involves treating ourselves with compassion, kindness, and great patience.
Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself today. Trust in the Lord. He is patient.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (Romans 12:12, ESV)
Heavenly Father, I thank You for loving me.
You are perfect. Your love is perfect.
I receive Your perfect love for me today.
I will not judge You, myself, or others by
my feelings or circumstances.
You are so patient with me. Help me
to be patient with myself.
I choose now to rest in You and Your love.
In Jesus’ name…
Affirmation: Trials and tribulations are common in grief. I will be patient with myself and trust God for what I need.
The above is an excerpt from Walking with God Through Grief, which is part of the God and Grief Series.
Question: Have you experienced a need for patience since your loss? Please feel free to share using the comment section below.
