These past few years I have experienced a fair share of sorrow and grief. An extraordinary number of friends and family have either passed away or have suffered through catastrophic illnesses that have changed their lives forever. What makes it tougher is that many of them were much younger than me. I can’t begin to imagine what their families have gone through and still going through now. I know we are supposed to hope in Jesus during these difficult times, but what does that mean? How do we see that when we’re in such a dark valley?
During my reflections on sorrow and grief, I came across Psalm 116. The writer’s journey from the darkest valley of despair to rising to a point where he can praise God has taught me a few lessons. He begins his song by expressing his love for God as he recounts how He brought him through the dark valley of sorrow and grief. This low point in his life is quickly followed by his desire to thank the Lord for seeing him though those tough times. How did he get there?
We don’t know the details, but we know the writer was in distress. Sorrow and death was near. So why did the psalmist love the Lord? First, in verses 1-2, he shares that it’s because the Lord hears his voice. God heard his cries for mercy. How often do we need someone just to listen, to pay attention to our pain? God listens! Another reason the psalmist loves the Lord is because when he cried out for help, the Lord delivered and rescued him (Verses 3-11). The writer’s near-death experience caused him much distress and sorrow. He was probably experiencing spiritual darkness. The Lord delivered him, He rescued him. The writer realized he was not alone, God was always there; He did not desert him. Although sometimes it may be difficult to see God in the midst of our agony, He is always there, He does not forsake us. What a comforting thought to know the Creator of the universe is always by our side! Lastly, the writer professes his love for God because He cares. Verse 7 reminds us that we can rest our troubled soul because God has been good to us. It is comforting to know God does all this because he really cares for us. Imagine that, the Creator of the universe really cares for us!
Towards the end of the Psalm, the writer declares his thanks and praises God’s name in appreciation. Our praise and thanksgiving should be expressed regardless of our current situation. When things are going well, this should be easy, but there will be times when this will be very hard, almost impossible to do. But life is a journey. Every time we experience His goodness, every time we experience his deliverance from our sorrow is a step we take closer to knowing God. Not until we learn to give thanks in everything, will we learn how much God loves and cares for us, especially in times of sorrow and grief.
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