Go! And Find Comfort In Grief: Seeking God’s Peace, Not The Voices Of The Past Series

Go! And Find Comfort in Grief: Seeking God’s Peace, Not the Voices of the Past

Introduction

Grief is a journey we all experience at some point in life. The loss of a loved one, whether expected or sudden, leaves a void that words cannot easily fill. In our sorrow, we long for comfort, for answers, and for peace. But where do we turn? The world offers many responses: some encourage us to seek closure through personal rituals, others suggest finding solace in memories, and still others may even advocate for attempting to communicate with the departed. But as followers of Christ, we must ask: what does God say?

God calls us to Go! And Find Comfort in Grief not by seeking voices of the past, but by embracing His peace. In this message, we will explore what the Bible teaches about grief, where we can find true comfort, and how to navigate loss with faith and hope.

1. Go! And Bring Your Grief to God

Psalm 34:18 (NLT) - "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed."

David, the writer of this psalm, knew grief intimately. This verse comes from a time when he was fleeing from King Saul and facing immense hardship. In his distress, he acknowledges a fundamental truth: God is near to those who suffer.

The Hebrew word for "brokenhearted" (nishb'rei-lev) literally means "shattered in heart." It conveys the image of deep emotional pain, of a heart that feels beyond repair. Yet David assures us that the Lord does not stand at a distance—He comes close.

The enemy wants us to believe we are alone in our grief. But God promises His nearness. His presence is not passive; He actively rescues and sustains. He calls us to bring our sorrow to Him, to pour out our hearts before Him in prayer.

When grief overwhelms us, we must run to God, not away from Him.

Practical steps include immersing ourselves in Scripture, praying honestly, and allowing the Holy Spirit to be our Comforter (John 14:26).

Instead of seeking closure through unbiblical means, let us seek the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Charles Spurgeon once said, "The Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction."

Your grief does not mean God has abandoned you; rather, He is training you for greater intimacy with Him.

Charles Spurgeon’s words, "The Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction," speak to a profound biblical truth—our suffering is not meaningless; it is a tool in the hands of a sovereign God. When we experience grief, it is easy to feel as though God is distant, as though our pain signifies His absence. But Scripture assures us otherwise.

Psalm 34:18 (NLT) declares, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Grief does not mean abandonment—it is often the very place where God draws us nearer to Him. In the refining fire of sorrow, He shapes us, strengthens our faith, and deepens our reliance on His grace.

Consider Job, a man who endured immense suffering yet proclaimed, “But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold” (Job 23:10, NLT). In the depths of loss, Job did not see God's full plan, but he trusted that his pain had purpose. Likewise, God uses our grief not to destroy us, but to refine us, teaching us greater dependence on Him.

Paul echoes this truth in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT): “God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.” Our grief is not only a place of personal growth, but it equips us to minister to others with the comfort we ourselves have received.

So, if you are in a season of affliction, know this: God is not punishing you; He is preparing you. Your sorrow is not a sign of His neglect but an invitation to deeper intimacy with Him. He is forging you into a stronger, more compassionate soldier in His kingdom. Trust Him in the valley, for He is leading you to higher ground.

2. Go! And Rest in the Hope of Eternal Life

John 11:25-26 (NLT) - "Jesus told her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this?'"

Jesus speaks these words to Martha after the death of her brother, Lazarus. In her sorrow, she believes in the future resurrection but struggles to find hope in the present. Jesus declares that He Himself is the resurrection—not just in the future but now.