When God Causes Grief

For if He causes grief, then He will have compassion according to His abundant loving kindness. Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the LORD. Lamentations 3:32, 40 (New American Standard Bible)

There are times I come across a passage of Scripture that speaks volumes to me. Such is the case with today’s verses. I have known grief caused by the Lord…or at least caused by what He has done. I am at a place whereby I can thank Him for it and mean it, but that has not always been the case. For a year and a half He took me through the process of self examination and probing. It was painful, confusing, frustrating, and difficult, but it was necessary in order for me to fully come to Him and return to His ways.

God knows how easily I can seek satisfaction apart from Him. He loves me too much to allow that to happen. Hence, He will remove my props one by one in order to turn my focus and heart back to Himself. It is only in seeing this that I can eventually thank Him for what has caused me grief. For me it has been a process of confronting my idolatry, repenting of that idolatry, and returning to Him. The change has been slow but steady.

The reasons for grief are varied. As I have been reading through the book of Lamentations, grief was a result of sin and rebellion. Even with that, though, God’s desire was the same. He longed for His people to return to Him and live in relationship with Him.

Grief may also come because of the harshness and reality of life. The death of a loved one, difficult health issues, financial loss, unemployment, etc… Whatever the grief, the directive is the same. Know that God will have compassion if He has allowed the grief. We have His word on that and God ALWAYS fulfills His promises. Examine yourself and probe the way you are living. Ask God to show you what things in your life need to change. Cooperate with what He tells you. What you cannot bring yourself to do, ask Him to do for you. The removal of my idol was definitely done by God. I praise Him for doing what I couldn’t do. Finally, know that the ultimate goal is for you to return to Him for restoration of the relationship He longs to have with you.

Remember this, nothing is wasted. There is buried treasure in the caverns of grief and God wants you to discover them. I have recently begun to see the sparkle of those treasures. The joy I thought would never return is making its way into my life once again.

Father, the way has not been easy but it has been worth it. I praise You for the grief You allowed and where it has led me so far. Amen.

Were it not for Grace
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3qrFwQOJ8A&feature=related

I welcome your questions and comments to any devotional thoughts. I am honored and delighted to share my journey with you and privileged to hear of yours.