When Grief Goes Too Far (Flavel)

After Saul's kingship seriously goes down the drain, the Lord rejects Saul as king over Israel. You can read the story in 1 Samuel 15. At the end of this story, Samuel grieves over Saul. In fact, Samuel's grief or mourning is noted twice - once in 1 Samuel 15:35 and also 1 Samuel 16:1.…

Grief, Grace, and Growing

A friend from church recently told me about this book that has to do with grief: Jerry Sittser’s A Grace Disguised (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995, 2004). This book is the outcome of Sittser’s deep, dark, emotional, and faith-filled fight with grief after he lost his mother, young daughter, and wife in a single car accident. …

The Sweetness of Tears

 Sometimes Christians forget the sweetness that can exist along with the bitterness of tears.  Because we live in a culture that focuses on entertainment, instant amusement, glamor, fame, and popularity, it is easy for us to jump on the bandwagon by doing our best to avoid tears, pain, and sorrow.  Everyone is searching for happiness and trying…

The Loss of A Loved One

 This is a great resource on dealing with sorrow and grief in the Christian life: Facing Grief by John Flavel (d. 1691).  Flavel starts by discussing Luke 7.13: When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry" (NIV).  He then moves to aspects of sorrow, explaining the biblical way for…

Dear Christian: Close Your Crying Eyes

 In this grim and grueling journal of grief and sorrow, Lewis takes the reader through the valley of the shadow of death.  He's brutal and honest: in suffering, tears, and pain, sometimes the Christian only gets a tiny and brief ray of hope.  But since it is heaven's ray, it is sufficient even though it might…