Isaiah 54:4-7
I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. -Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)
Six years ago, I learned that I would become a widow. My husband’s diagnosis meant that over time, his simple pleasures—golf, fishing, throwing a ball with a grandchild—would become impossible. We accepted each day as it came, celebrating the good days and comforting each other on the bad ones. The final four months of his life I was his full-time caregiver. It was the hardest thing I have ever done.
My husband’s death brought an end to his suffering, and I was grateful for that. But for me, it was the beginning of being alone and missing the man I had shared life with for 49 years. The intensity of my grief surprised me since I had known this loss was coming for several years. This new form of grief filled me with loneliness and a sense of extreme loss.
I discovered, however, that no matter how unhappy I was with my circumstances, I was never alone. Friends were always available and were very supportive. And God comforted me. I turned to scripture and found God’s love on every page. I prayed and felt the Holy Spirit beside me. I turned to nature for solace and rediscovered the majesty of God’s creation. Gradually, I found the joy that was dwelling within me all along — the joy of knowing Christ as my Savior.
Prayer: O God, our comforter, accompany us in our grief. Help us to rejoice in knowing you as our Creator, Lord, and Savior. Amen.
Thought for the day: I am never alone when I am in God’s care.
Debra Ison (Kentucky, USA)
