How to Make it Through Times of Grief

Lamentation 3:19-25

Grief is real

• Grief comes because of the uncertainty of physical life.
• Grief comes because of the feeling of loss.
• Grief comes and it is awkward and uncomfortable.
• Grief coming from death is the most obvious area that we deal with.

Jeremiah reflects on his grief – vs. 19

• Wormwood is a desert plant in the daisy family from which people extracted medicine that tasted bitter.
• Gall refers to the bile produced by the gall bladder which is also bitter.
• Wormwood and gall appear together in Jeremiah and Lamentations as a metaphor for the bitterness of life in Jeremiah. – Jer. 9:15; 23:15; Lam. 3:19
• Jeremiah looks around him and sees only his own sadness and loss.
• He looks around to other people and find no answers.
• He looks inside himself and sees nothing that will satisfy any of the needs he has.
• He looks up and finds all that he needs.

Hope Vs 21

• Hope in God meets our needs in grief because hope means the grief we feel is not the end.

Love Vs 22

• Love from God meets our needs in grief because we can know that we are valued.

Faithfulness Vs 23

• Faithfulness from God meets our needs in grief because we are not left alone.

Belonging Vs 24

• Belonging to God meets our needs in grief because we have an anchor of where we belong.

Goodness Vs 25

• Goodness in God meets our needs in grief because through prayer, His word, Holy Spirit is a constant and real part of His identity.

When we understand

ALL OF THESE

we can make it through times of grief!