Matthew: Healing in His PresenceSample

Serving While Grieving

Jesus had just gotten word that his cousin John the Baptist had been executed by Herod. This was devastating. John had been the one who was preparing the way for Jesus' ministry. John also baptized Jesus in the River Jordan. John was a good, God-fearing man, so this news was upsetting.

So how did Jesus handle that news? He got on a boat to be by himself. He used this time of grieving to seek and be alone with His Heavenly Father. As the Son of God and the Son of Man, He was grieving and needed to be comforted. His cousin was approximately the same age as He was and pivotal to preparing Jesus's ministry. This was a great loss.

When He landed on the shore, a crowd was there to meet Him believing He could heal the sick. Notice what Jesus did when He saw them. He had compassion on them and met their needs. Even in his grief stricken-state, He was others-focused.

We can learn a great lesson from Jesus and how he grieved. Yes, it was perfectly fine for Him to have some alone time, but quickly thereafter, He began serving others. Sometimes giving of yourself while you are grieving or hurting is a good way to take the focus off of your sadness or your healing for a bit. That alone will bring blessing to you as you heal your body and soul.

Questions:

1. When you’ve experienced loss or grief, how have you typically responded? Did you seek solitude, reach out to others, or do something else?
2. In what ways have you found spending quiet time alone with God to be comforting or healing during difficult seasons?
3. How might serving others, even while you’re grieving or healing, bring unexpected strength or peace to your own journey?