Wisdom From the Word Series: How to Comfort One Another

 

This week's question is taken not only from women who have asked it of me, but also a question I have asked others many times myself:  

How do you comfort someone who has gone through a loss (Miscarriage, loss of a loved one, etc)?

I have quite a few friends who have experienced miscarriages and always try to ask-after an appropriate amount of time-what is most comforting to them during times of such grief.  You have probably experienced, like myself, that completely useless feeling as you attempt to find that balance between just being there for them and finding words to say.  Truthfully, sometimes we "need" to do or say something as much for ourselves as for our dear friends who are hurting.  Though it is not nearly the same, we ache for our friends and desire to do something to comfort and take the pain away.

Of course, there are many promises and verses of comfort from the Word.  And all my friends express to me that God brings His Word to their mind and uses it to minister to them in a way nothing else can. But, we often feel trite or even insensitive as we just tell them to lean on God's Word and it will be okay.  I recently had a young lady tell me she was exasperated with people telling her, regarding a struggle, to just read the Word and lean on Him.  Her response-"WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN SUSTAINING ME ALL THIS TIME?!?"

So what do we do?  What do we say?  I have not gone through the heartbreak of a miscarriage or a tragic loss and I admit to having to lean heavy on the promises that God will see me through and give me His grace to stand up under it when the time comes. (James 1).

Not long after a friend went through a loss, I read this article called In Her Shoes from the blog
Grace Covers Me.  In her guest post, Angela Basset shares her story of what it is like to lose a child and how to minister to others going through similar tragedy.  She says it so much better than I ever could, and I think it is so appropriate to hear from someone who has gone through this, through God's grace, and is now using the trial to bring glory to God as she comforts others.

Please take time to click on the links above and read her article along with some great insight on how we can serve each other during the time of loss.

I would love to hear from you as well!  Please comment here and tell your story.  Maybe share what God has used to comfort you.  Maybe what NOT to do during those times.  Leave a comment below or on the Living Out God's Design Facebook page.

Galatians 6:2 - Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.