Day 4 - When It Hurts

“God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4, NLT)

We have talked about how to help when others are in pain and also about sharing our pain. Today we are going to talk a little more about how God responds to your pain and learn from Him more ways to respond when one of us is hurt.

God comes close to you when you are in pain. He does not ignore your hurt. The Bible says that He is “close to those whose hearts are breaking” (Psalm 34:18). Picture where you go when you feel sad or need to cry. Imagine God seeing you there. He is not too busy to stop what He’s doing. He doesn’t think what you’re upset about isn’t a big deal. No. He comes down from His throne and sits beside you. Isaiah 40:11 says He gathers us, “like lambs in his arms. He carries [us] close to him.” He holds you and lets you snuggle into His chest and cry.

God is affected by our pain. In Jeremiah 14:17, God says that He weeps because of the hurts of his people. Just like we earthly parents feel some of your sadness when you are in pain, your Heavenly Father also feels your hurt and is sad with you. In one of Jesus’s most famous sermons, Jesus says that when we mourn, we are blessed because God will comfort us (see Matthew 5:4). God never leaves us alone in our sadness.

When we are in pain, it can seem like no one understands how we’re feeling or that we are the only one who is hurting. But you are not alone. We will go through pain as a family who supports and loves each other. We will do our best to understand. When one of us is hurting, we all share that pain and come together to give love and be a safe place to heal.

We love each other by making each other feel less alone. We can do that by sitting and watching a movie together. We can ask to help with each other’s chores or schoolwork. We can offer hugs or prayers. Sometimes, the most comforting thing we can do is just to be quiet and listen or be with each other when we cry. As humans, we are made in the image of God. And we bring the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, with us when we care for one another.

Family Discussion Questions (pick 2 or more)

• What are some things you can do when you can tell someone is feeling sad?
• What are some things you wish someone would do for you when you feel sad?
• Are you feeling sad right now?
• Do you want to cuddle? What can I do to help?