Grief to Joy
- Pastor Brian Loudermilk
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Psalm 42
1 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation 6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.9 I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”10 As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him my salvation and my God.
Psalm 43
4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
Couch Conversation:
Joel Shelton and Janie Garcia-Shelton
Grief is not the end of the journey. It may be where you are right now, but it is not your destination because but the Bible gives strategy for your journey.
Psalm 30:5
For His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Psalm 30:10–11
Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper! You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.
I. Acknowledge Your Grief
Psalm 42:3
“My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, ‘Where is your God?’”
● We need to be able to acknowledge that grief is real and that it hurts.
● This is the first moment in moving forward because the Word says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” — Matthew 5:4
II. Bring Your Questions to God
Psalm 42:9
“I say to God, my rock: Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
● We can bring both our questions and our emotions to God.
● Psalm 62:8 says, “Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”
III. Speak Truth to Your Soul and Put Your Hope in God
Psalm 42:5–8
“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore, I remember You from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and Your waves have gone over me. By day the Lord commands His steadfast love, and at night His song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.”
● This is about remembering who God is and why we can trust Him.
● Remind yourself of who God is.
IV. Believe You Will Still Praise Him
Psalm 43:5
“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.”
● Healing does not mean forgetting.
● You have to have the mindset that this difficulty I am going through right now will get easier with God’s help. You have to push through and begin to prophetically step out and begin to praise.
● He will use your pain as a platform for ministry.
● You can't accept that this is the end. You have to believe there is still a purpose, that God is still in control, and that He will bring you through your grief.
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