Close to the Brokenhearted
Written by Erika Castiglione
Last Tuesday I had the privilege of hosting a podcast on grief and lament. It was such a rich conversation, and such a vast topic, that we kept talking long after we stopped recording, acknowledging all the things we didn’t have time to mention. We shared more of own stories, and I was reminded not only of how much sorrow there is in the world, but what good news it is that Jesus became a suffering servant in order to carry our pain, that he is a high priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4), and that one day he will wipe away every tear.
We also shared our desire for this conversation to continue beyond this one-hour podcast and our hope that Waypoint could be a safe place to practice lament and share our burdens. Here are a few ways to do that:
Learn more. Mary-Claire is planning on leading a group study digging deeper into this topic using the book Gospel Hope in Grief and Loss by Daily Grace Co. The group will meet twice a month. Please contact Mary-Claire (mary.claired28@gmail.com) if you are interested.
Consider joining a community group. Waypoint is hosting a community group fair Sunday, September 10, after church. This is a time to see what groups we have around the city, when and where they meet, and how to get involved. We desire to be a family that rejoices and weeps together, and that begins with getting to know one another and investing in each other’s lives.
Receive prayer. Whether it is coming up at the end of service, stopping by the pre-service prayer time in room 167, or e-mailing prayer@waypointrdu.com, please invite others to walk alongside you in prayer. We were never meant to grieve alone.
We talked a lot of about the Psalms on the podcast and truly they do contain the breadth of human emotion. Whether you are in a season of questioning “why?” or “how long?” or you are in a season of delighting in the law of the Lord, I hope you will find a place to share your experiences within our church body. In a world where all of our hearts will break at some point or another, it is good to remember that our savior is close to the brokenhearted and lament can lead to greater trust in him. May we find that greater hope and trust together as embrace both joy and sorrow.
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