The Balm for Grief
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“Isn’t there balm in the land of Gilead? Isn’t there a doctor there? So why aren’t the hurts of my people healed?” Jeremiah 8:22
As we experience the uncertainty of life and what we have known to be normal and daily totally change, we long for something or someone to bring hope and healing into our lives. We long for a balm - a soothing restorative agent. Holy week and Easter have been different this year with the virus and not being able to celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus with family and church family. In our grief, we also have not been able to truly celebrate any part of life. It seems impossible that life will ever again have joy and happiness because of great loss and the emptiness of life.
I have come to understand Jesus as the balm - the soothing restorative agent in my life and in my grief. One of the hymns that brought comfort to me in my grief was suggested to me by a friend who was walking the journey of grief after the death of his wife. The song is - “There Is a Balm in Gilead.” The chorus and first verse state -
“There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole; There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul.”
“Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my work’s in vain. But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again.”
The would of grief goes deep and we feel broken. Our heart is in a million pieces and life feels like it will never be whole or good again. Our souls feel sick and hopeless with nothing giving us joy or purpose. Grief brings discouragement when we cannot even accomplish simple tasks or figure out all the paperwork or even get out of bed some days. It has been in these moments of brokenness and pain, that the soothing balm of Jesus’ Spirit comes to hold us and allow us to grieve. In these quiet moments of being held by the One who loves us the most and understands pain and brokenness, that HIs soothing balm penetrates our soul.
In these different days, Jesus still comes to the wounded, hurting and grieving. Jesus willingly gave up His life, was beaten and his body filled with pain, so that our “sin sick souls” could be healed. In this season of Easter, we believe Jesus died and was resurrected to forgive us for our sins and give us the promise of eternal life. Jesus also comes to heal our wounds - wounds of pain, emptiness and hurt. The wound of grief remains, but the healing balm of Jesus soothes the wound over time. Scars remain to remind us we have loved deeply. The scars on Jesus’ hands from the nails remained to remind us He died a cruel death and felt the pain of sin - all out of love for you and me.
In your grief, allow the balm of Jesus to revive your grief stricken soul. You don’t even need to speak words except to call out “Jesus” and He will be with you. Jesus understands sorrow and pain, and HIs Spirit, the Holy Spirit, will pray for you as you sigh. God hears the cries of our soul - “in sighs too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26) The healing takes time because the love is deep. Give yourself permission to cry and have sad moments, you have loved and lost the physical presence of your loved one. But also allow Jesus to revive your soul again. Be open to the healing presence of the Holy Spirit. The healing balm will soothe your soul.
