Tag: Grief

The BIBLE VIEW #1044 —Grief

In This Issue:
The Definition of Grief
Grief

Volume: 1044   April 13, 2026
Theme: Grief

Sign-up at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/a26cc9M to receive the DAILY VIEW devotion.  The daily e-mail includes a KJV chapter, a short devotion on something taught in that chapter, and more spiritual food for the hungry soul.  Start your day with some good news from the Bible!

A Definition of Grief
Dr. Hewlett

Grief can be the effect of wounded affection and the effect of discovered, but undeserved, unkindness.  It is the pang a mother feels when she first learns that the child of her fervent prayers and cherished hopes has become profane and profligate (“morally unrestrained”).  It is the throbbing emotion of the generous heart when thwarted or interrupted in the benevolent design it has conceived.

“Grief drives men into habits of serious reflections, sharpens understanding, and softens the heart.”  — John Adams

Grief
Bill Brinkworth

For much of my saved life, I have been around and ministered to older people and those with special needs.  As can be expected with those folks and all others, death visited many of their loved ones.

After the passing of someone who meant a lot to them, I tried to comfort and encourage them.  However, after the loss of my wife of 37 years, I now have a better understanding of the grief they were experiencing.

I believed I was being compassionate and helpful, but after experiencing what it was like to lose someone close to me, I realized that I was not as understanding as I should have been.

As is often the case when God allows one to go through a problem, I have lately been exposed to others who have also recently lost someone close to them.  I have noticed that people handle their loss or emotions differently.

Without warning, tremendous bouts of sadness bring torrents of tears to many.  Perhaps the sight of another person, activity, or thing brings back memories that trigger more sadness.

Many experience anger, guilt, confusion, lack of enthusiasm, and some may find themselves not wanting to be around others. Many notice their decision-making and thinking abilities are diminished.  The overwhelming acquiring of duties that the deceased used to do may also bring on more grief.

Those not going through the heart-wrenching sadness of loss wonder why the grief-burdened person does not ”just get over it”  and have no idea what it is like to lose a child, friend, or spouse that had meant so much to them or to handle overbearing challenges.  Some never “get over it,” and pangs of sadness or immense anxiety continue to torment one’s thoughts and behaviors.

I have talked to one who lost her husband almost two decades ago, and she still has not “gotten over it.”  That deceased person was a part of her life, and now she stands all alone, missing an integral part of hersself.

The thoughtless “get over it” attitude just won’t work with someone who spent a lifetime loving and living with a person, raising a child, or not having the changes or difficulties they are now facing.  In many cases, the deceased person made the surviving person more complete, and now they feel like half a person.

Since it seems God is allowing me to encounter many grieving people crossing my path, it would be helpful to know what the Bible teaches on the subject.  

Although every person handles grief differently, as far as I have been able to find, there is no quick three or four-step process to fix or shorten one’s grieving process according to the Bible.  However, one can find more about the subject in God’s Word, which can be encouraging to those disturbed by a mountain of distress and help them realize the naturalness of their grief and anxiety.

It is found in the scriptures that:

  • God can be grieved.  Since we are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), we have many physical, mental, and emotional traits that our Creator has.  There is a divine purpose for our having the ability to grieve and be heavily troubled over certain situations.
    “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” Genesis 6:6    God was broken-hearted that His creation was given over to great wickedness continually. 
    “How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!” Psalm 78:40  The people of Israel knew what was expected of them, but they lied, disobeyed, and did what angered their Lord.  Those actions and many, many others broke God’s heart.
  • The Holy Spirit can be grieved.  The Spirit God sent to help mankind can also be grieved over the wrong works of man.  The Spirit is made so heavy with grief over what a sinner has done that He will not work in a person’s life, often until that person gets it right with Him.
    “But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.” Isaiah 63:10
    “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30


Grief is a natural emotion that most people will experience at some point.  It is part of life, but we can learn to handle what happens in our lives by seeing how people in the Bible handled their immense stress.

  • Job was overcome by grief as God allowed him to endure great testing and trials.
    “So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.” Job 2:13
    “Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!” Job 6:2
    “Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged [to make something burdensome or less intense, painful or severe] and though: I forbear, what am I eased?  “ Job 16:6  Also: Job 16:5-6.
  • David experienced grief. The pressure brought on from his enemies and the heavy burden from being amidst many troubles, weighed heavily on him.
    “Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.  10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.”  Psalm 31:9-10  Also: Psalm 6:7.
  • King Solomon experienced grief.  The actions of his wayward son grieved the king; however, he learned that a great sadness in one’s life can be helpful in life’s continuing trials.
    “A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.”  Proverbs 17:25
    “For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” Ecclesiastes 1:18      Also: Eccl. 2:23.
  • Isaiah experienced grief and prophesied about the Saviour and the grief Jesus would bear.
    “In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.” Isaiah 17:11 
    “He [Jesus] is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Isaiah 17:11   Also: Isaiah 53:10.
  • Jeremiah experienced grief.
    “Woe is me for my hurt!  my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.” Jeremiah 10:19
    “Thou didst say, Woe is me now!  for the LORD hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.” Jeremiah 45:3
  • Jonah experienced grief.
    “And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief.  So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.” Jonah 4:6
  • Paul, most likely, experienced grief.
    “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” Hebrews 13:17
  • We can grieve over what we have done.
    “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.” Genesis 45:5
  • We can be grieved by what others have done.
    “So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.” I Samuel 20:34
    “And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.” II Samuel 19:2
  • The wicked may be grieved at the sight of a righteous person.  (This may explain why those with liberal philosophies and politics get so mad at those trying to live a righteous life.)
    “The wicked shall see it (Psalm 112:1-10), and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.” Psalm 112:10


As can be discovered from the Bible, grief can be a result of extreme pressure, changes against one’s beliefs, or after the loss of a loved one.  Grieving is a God-given emotion that places a high value on heartache and love and may help some avoid sin or ungodliness.

God would not give us an emotion that would harm us.  Perhaps it is a safety valve to enable us to cope with tragedy or change.  There is no easy fix for the mental pain it can cause.  Again, each sufferer handles grief differently.

When I found myself thinking and doing things that were not normal for me after the loss of my wife, a loved one brought  to my attention, “You are not going crazy, it is just grief.”  There is no predefined way one will handle grief; it just happens.

Grief is an emotion that puts a high value on life, doing the right thing, and directs some to respect life more.  The loss of a loved one also keeps our temporary life on Earth in perspective.  We are just pilgrims passing through this life, awaiting and occupying it, hopefully for the cause of Christ, until it is our turn to leave.

“Grief teaches the steadiest minds to waver.” — Sophocles

The BIBLE VIEW #1020 — Grief

In This Issue:
Tip-toeing Through the Tombstones
There Is Hope.  He Is Alive.

Volume: 1020   September 29, 2025
Theme:  Grief


Tip-toeing Through the Tombstones
Bill Brinkworth

After visiting cemeteries, I often wandered among tombstones that, for many, were the only remaining memories of people who once lived.  The visits were a solemn reminder that life will come to an end for all, and our mark on this world may soon vanish.

Only cold granite stones remains of lives that once laughed, traveled, did good or bad deeds, brought lives into this world, and so much more.  Invisible to us, however, their soul still lives on, but where?
“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:46

Towards the front of a cemetery were five large plain stones without an etched name or date.  The rocks were carefully manicured to remove overgrown grass, just like all the other monuments.  A sign near the markers stated that they were monuments to unknown people. 

Perhaps the markers were placed before a stone mason was available to chisel their personal information on the rocks.  Maybe they were very poor and could not afford a better monument.  Not even their names were remembered.  There was no memory of them at all.

They are forgotten to us, but not to God.  He knows who they are, what they did, and why and when they died.  I wonder where they are.  Are they in Heaven or Hell for all those centuries?

Further along in a graveyard, there were three crudely carved headstones.  All three had the same last names, different birth dates, but the same day of death.   From the dates on the stones, I could tell they were very young children. 

What happened that they all died on the same day?  Was it a raging epidemic?  Was it a catastrophic fire that they all perished in?  Lord knows, and their ages were very young, so they probably were not old enough to decide to trust and understand Christ as their Saviour.  But, if that is so, they are still in Heaven with their Heavenly Father.
“But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:16
“But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14   Also: Matthew 18:10, 21:16.

Next to their markers were no headstones with the same last name.  Their parents were not buried next to them.  How did the adults handle the great loss of their children?  Did they get angry, shake their fist at God, and blame Him?  Did they ruin their lives because they did not overcome their grief?  Or did they turn their sadness over to the Lord and remain faithful to Him even through that great loss?  Wherever they are buried, what was chiseled on their headstone?
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”  Psalm 34:18
“The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.” Psalm 145:18

Four or five stones together were a reminder that there lie the remains of local soldiers who died in a World War II battlefield.  They gave their lives to secure their country, but where are their souls now?  Are they in Heaven or Hell?  Although great was their sacrifice, that great deed alone would not get them to Heaven. 

Did they get saved before the Service, or perhaps a rare conversion just before leaving this world?  Did they cling to the promises underlined in their small Blbles they were given when they first enlisted and always carried with them?
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9

Side by side were two other stones, marking the resting places of a husband and wife.  Apparently, the husband died first.  Was he a born-again child of God?  Is he in Heaven? 
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13

Twenty years later, the wife apparently died, with the same last name as her husband.  As her last name was the same as her husband’s, I suppose she never remarried. 

She spent all those years most likely by herself.  Did her children visit her, or did they go about their lives ignoring their mother’s great grief? 

How did she handle the great sadness she must have carried?  Did she ever get saved?  Is she in Heaven with her husband, or is she in agony alone in Hell?  If she and her husband were both saved, I am sure it was a grand reunion when they remet in Glory.

Another stone clearly told whose remains were under the chiseled little lamb headstone.  Apparently, a young child died and was buried there.  Again, how did the parents handle the grief?

I imagine it was difficult for them.  But did they take the time of great sadness and realize that one day their time would come?  Did they get saved?  Their child was older according to the etched dates.  Was the child saved?  Was there a great reunion for that family in Eternity?

A whole row of memorials all had the same last name.  Most had some indication that the person was saved.  There were crosses and verses etched on many of the monuments.  It appeared to be a family including grandparents, parents, and some children.  It was apparently a Christian family. 

Were they all saved, or did some of the “residents” claim to be born-again but were not, and opened their eyes to a terrifying eternity?  Or were they all born-again and living for the Lord?  If so, I am sure there is still a great reunion in Heaven.

One stone had a last name that was not on any of the other nearby monuments.  The dates indicated that the person lived a long life.  Did he live it alone?  Was he ever married?  Did he die alone?  If alone, how did he manage?  Did that person ever get saved?  Where is he residing now?

Then I  came upon a newly laid stone.  The plastic flowers put down by the funeral parlor remained.  It was the burial place of my wife of 36 years. 

I did not have to wonder about that woman’s past or where she is living for eternity.  She was saved and served the Lord for over 40 years.  I know where she is now.  There is no guessing.  
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” Psalm 116:15

I know in the future, we too will have a great reunion.  What a comfort it is to remember her great faithfulness, her toiling for the Lord, and her diligence in reaching others with the Gospel.

Every life has a story.  We can surmise how some lived and died by reading the etched brief information on their headstones.  But all that we can read is their past.  All souls live on, and we have little knowledge of their eternal “life” now and in the future.

When your body gives its last breath and your body lies in a cemetery, what will an onlooker remember, wonder, or read about your life?  Are you confident that your eternal soul will be in Heaven with the Lord, or will you finally recognize that you wasted an opportunity for Heaven?  Oh, what an agonizing eternal error that would be.

Trust Christ and live for Him today.  Life is shorter than you think.
“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14

“Grief drives men into habits of serious reflections, sharpens the understanding, and softens the heart.”  — John Adams

There Is Hope.  He Is Alive.
Gotthold

A wife observed her husband, who was dejected by some misfortune that had befallen him.  To such a degree was the grief that he could not sleep.  His sadness was quite apparent.

She pretended to be very upset in the morning and cried and moaned.  As she had spoken cheerfully to her husband the evening before, and exhorted him to dismiss his sorrow, he was concerned about his wife.

He asked her the cause of her sudden grief.

Hesitating a little, she replied that in a dream it seemed a messenger had come from Heaven and brought news that God was dead, and that all the angels and others were weeping.  Hope was gone.”

“Foolish woman,” said the husband, “you know quite well that God cannot die!”

“Indeed,” replied the wife, “and if that be certain, how come it is that you are now sorrowful over your problem as if He really did no longer exist, or, at least, as if He were unable to control what is happening in your life.  My dear husband, learn to trust Him.  He is in control.  He is not dead.”

“The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves.”  — Sophocles