It Happened, And It Was Bad...Now What?
Grief, loss, and mourning are all real emotions. We know it’s Biblical to lament—but getting stuck and overstaying in a period of prolonged grief will quench the plans God has for us and keep us trapped.
In 1 Samuel 16:1-2 we see the prophet Samuel stuck in a season of grief. The Lord asked him, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being King over Israel?”. Scholars believe it had been ten years since Samuel told Saul he was no longer God’s anointed one. Instead of getting over it and moving on, Samuel got stuck in a cycle of grief and regret.
Here are a few things to remember about grief:
1. Grief doesn’t discriminate! It doesn’t matter how old or young you are, grief affects us all, whether we acknowledge it or not. Samuel was a powerful man of God used for decades for Kingdom purposes and prophetic leadership—but even the most mature person will be impacted by grief though loss, pain, identity confusion, betrayal, or disappointment. Grief isn’t something the “super spiritual or super Christian” can evade.
2. Grief changes you but it doesn’t change your situation. Samuel has been mourning for years when the Lord directs him to anoint a new king. The years of grieving didn’t change the fact that Saul was still rejected, nor did it help the feeling of regret Samuel wrestled with.
3. Prolonged grief leads to spiritual paralysis. Although Samuel suffered for years with grief and regret, when he obeyed the Lord’s directive in 1 Samuel 16:2-7 to go and anoint the future King David, the grief unlocked towards new potential.
Grief Principle #1: Your present season may look different from your past season…and that’s okay! The anointing of David was much different than the anointing of Saul. Samuel would have missed this new opportunity if he tried to replicate the experience rather than lean into something new.
Grief Principle #2: Let your PURPOSE lead you rather than your PAIN. Although Samuel was in pain, he allowed God’s purpose to lead him to the future hope of the Israelites rather than their past mistakes.
Grief Principle #3: Jesus is with you in grief and will lead you to a new season of hope.
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