Crying Out

Crying Out

I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and LORD, you heard me! Jonah 2:2

“I lost both my parents this year!” Faye said, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. “I don’t have anyone left.”

I had known Faye’s parents well. They had been faithful followers of Jesus and had left a rich legacy in the community.

“Tell me why you’re feeling this way,” I said.

“Well, I’m the oldest, so I have to take care of everything. First, I had to settle Dad’s estate, and now I’m in the middle of doing my mom’s. I was the one who had to pay for both funerals, and since I’m the only one of my siblings who lives in town, I’m the one who goes to the cemetery to put flowers out.”

“Does that help you feel better?”

“No, I just sit there and cry. Sometimes I stay there for hours. I miss them so much. I know my kids need me here, but I have nothing left to give anyone. I can barely get out of bed and get dressed, much less worry about getting the kids ready. I don’t know what to do. I can’t keep living like this.” She buried her face in her hands and began to sob.

Like many who have suffered a major loss, Faye was clinically depressed. “Let’s start with some medications to improve your sleep and increase your serotonin levels. Then I’m going to make an appointment for you to see a friend of mine who can help you organize your thoughts.” I hoped that a Christian counselor would be someone to whom she could talk.

A few months later, Faye came in to see me.

“I don’t go to the cemetery as often as I used to. Now when I go, my husband comes with me. He reminds me of what great parents and Christians they were, and that makes it easier. I don’t know where I’d be if you hadn’t sent me to counseling.”

We should always cry out to Jesus, but there are days when we need to cry with other people.

TODAY’S RX

If you are mourning a loss, find a good Christian counselor or a pastor who can help you.

Father, I know you give and take away. Help me to celebrate the gift when given and mourn the loss when taken away. May I share my joys and sorrows with others so I may not lose sight of your purpose in my life.