Issue 1 | 2024

TRANSFORMED LIVES
Draw Close to
God in Grief
BY LISA APPELO
INTIMACY WITH GOD IS THE DEEPEST COMFORT
in pain. God’s presence was nearly palpable after my husband,
Dan, died. I constantly conversed with the Lord; His
comfort was real and His counsel clear.
But what are we to do if God feels distant in our pain?
Scripture promises that when we draw near to God, He will
draw near to us (James 4:8). God’s presence is based on His
character, not our feelings. God is close to the brokenhearted
(Psalm 34:18), and that’s true whether we sense it or not.
Hebrews 4:16 promises that when we draw near to God,
we will “receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of
need” (NIV). We may not have chosen our circumstances,
but we can choose to draw closer to God.
So here are ten practical tips to draw near in suffering:
1. STUDY HIS WORD. God reveals Himself in scripture.
The Bible isn’t just for learning about God; we can encounter
Him there. Scripture is alive and active. It convicts and
guides us, points us to truth, answers prayer, and transforms
our thinking (Romans 12:2).
“All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that
the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every
good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV). Time we spend in the
Word will never be wasted (Isaiah 55:11).
2. EXPRESS GRATITUDE. Gratitude opens our eyes to
all God does in and around us. It helps us become content
and trust God rather than groan against Him. We’re to
give thanks in all circumstances; gratitude has tremendous
power.
Jesus modeled a life of gratitude. Before feeding over
5,000 people with two fish and five loaves of bread, Jesus
gave God thanks (John 6:11). Before raising Lazarus from
the dead, Jesus thanked His Father for hearing Him (John
11:41). He even thanked God the night He was arrested (1
Corinthians 11:23–24). Cultivating intentional gratitude
helps us draw close to God.
3. LAMENT. Lament is taking our complicated emotions
and questions to God, leaving them there, and trusting
God’s character and promises to provide the comfort and
answers we need. We don’t have to hide our feelings or fake
that we’re fine. God created us with emotions. Our emotions
are safe with Him.
We find lament all through scripture. Hannah wept to
God in deep grief over her infertility and barrenness. Job,
Jeremiah, and Moses lamented to God in their situations.
A third of the Psalms are psalms of lament that reveal how
David and others took their difficulties and emotions to
God. Lamenting isn’t crying out against God in bitterness
or anger; it is crying out to Him as we draw near.
4. PRAY. Jesus often went away alone to pray (Luke 5:16).
He spent whole nights in prayer and prayed intensely before
and after crucial events. Before He called the 12 apostles,
18 Issue 01 / 2024 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM