Grief is not the absence of faith

"It takes faith to seek God when we’re experiencing doubt. The process of wrestling requires faith that He hears us and faith that He is who He says He is, even when our emotions don’t line up with what we know to be true. I believe God welcomes us to ask Him hard questions, and He is glorified when we turn to Him and seek His face. " - Kristin Hernandez, Sunlight in December, Chapter 11

God's people have suffered, doubted, and asked questions from the beginning of the world. Questions of God's people did not cause Him to abandon them or forget His love for them.  Job lamented that it would have been better if he were never born. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. Many of the disciples were martyred. David filled the book of Psalms with lament, agony, and questions. Psalm 22 opens with an anguished cry of “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The author David is often referred to as “a man after God’s own heart.” David knew how to simultaneously praise and lament. Despite his questions, he praised God. He never stopped giving God glory, even in his pain. Despite his incredible faith, he still had questions and sorrow. His faith and his distress did not cancel each other out. God drew near to him as he cried out in distress. God didn’t look at David and say, “Wow, you sure have a bad attitude. I’m going to choose someone else.” God still set David apart to bring Him glory and to be a part of the lineage of Jesus.  May we not abandon our faith when we are faced with deep sorrow. But may we also know that deep sorrow does not mean we do not have faith. Grief is not the absence of faith. As believers, we can grieve deeply yet faithfully, knowing that Jesus--called a man of many sorrows--is able to sympathize with our deepest hurts. And one day, HE will take away all all grief.