“My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows.”
HOSEA 11:8

Does God Grieve? Hos 11:1-8

Grief often invades the lives of those living with the realities of suffering and disability. Some days it feels like a constant companion. Other days it surprises us with new challenges that complicate our already overwhelming lives. Understanding that God also grieves can bring comfort and hope in these difficult days.

In Hosea 11:8, God speaks of his broken heart for his people, who continually disobeyed and rejected him. The Lord created human beings to be in relationship with him. His desire was to make himself known to the world. God doesn’t give up on his people. He never intended for the world to be full of suffering, disability, and disease. He is indeed grieving over the brokenness and heartache of his people.

Living with severe pain or suffering can sometimes make it difficult for us to transition successfully through the stages of grief. We can get stuck in different aspects of grief and become unable to move forward to a place where we can dream new dreams. Knowing that God our Creator understands what it means to grieve gives us hope. He understands the disappointment of unfulfilled dreams, broken lives, and severe heartache, which means we can take our disappointments to him. Think about some of the challenges and difficulties in your life. Now, take those things to God and allow him to grieve with you.

Father God, I come to you with a grieving and broken heart. I’m so glad that you grieve over your children. I ask for your peace, and I desire to live for you so that you might use my pain, suffering, and disability for your glory. Amen.