Comfort in Times of

Grief
There are times when we undergo a very
difficult trial:death of a loved one,
diagnosis of a disease, where we
experience grief.
Prov 14:10
Each heart knows its own bitterness
(=trouble), and no one else can share its
joy.
These are times where our spirits our
broken
A merry heart maketh a cheerful
countenance: but by sorrow(=pain or
wound) of the heart the spirit is broken.
(Pro 15:13, KJV)

We just sometimes have to admit to God

our pain
BUT :The Lord gives us comfort

 Faith in the Lord does not make one's grief or

trial hurt less, nor does faith make it
disappear...but this faith gives us incredible
strength and encouragement and comfort in our
grief, and keeps us from being swallowed by
despair.
From Joshua Harris’ blog
Sources of comfort:
#1 source: the Holy Spirit
And I will pray the Father, and he shall
give you another Comforter, that he may
abide with you for ever
(John 14:16)
But the Comforter, which is the Holy
Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things, and
bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.
(Joh 14:26)
But when the Comforter is come, whom I
will send unto you from the Father, even
the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from
the Father, he shall testify of me:
(John15:26)
But because I have said these things unto you,
sorrow hath filled your heart.
(John 16:6)

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient

for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the
Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart,
I will send him unto you.
(John 16:7)
Comforter: (Greek parakletos)
summoned, called to one’s side, especially called to one’s
aid
 1a) one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a

pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate

 1b) one who pleads another’s cause with one, an

intercessor
1b1) Christ in his exaltation at God’s right hand,
pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins
 1c) in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider,

assistant
1c1) the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ
with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to
lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth,
and give them divine strength needed to enable them
to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the
divine kingdom
THE LORD PRAYS FOR US
During the times we are in deep sorrow and we are
grieving, the Holy Spirit is our comforter, alongside us.

Rom 8:26-27
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our
weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that
words cannot express.
27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of
the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in
accordance with God's will.
(NIV)
And the Lord Jesus intercedes for us,
even in our sorrow, when we are not able
to pray because of our pain

Rom 8:34
34 Who is he that condemns? Christ
Jesus, who died-- more than that, who
was raised to life-- is at the right hand of
God and is also interceding for us.
THE LORD STRENGTHENS US
The woman with the issue of blood
But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he
said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made
thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that
hour.
(Mat 9:22)
She reached out to the Lord. In her lowly, broken, sick
state, she just reached for Jesus’ hem. Yun lang ang
abot niya o kaya niyang abutin.
When we reach out to the Lord, the Lord says “be of
good comfort”
Comfort:
Greek tharseō
to be of good courage, be of good cheer
The Lord gives us courage = lakas ng loob
Datapuwa't paglingon ni Jesus at pagkakita sa
kaniya, ay sinabi, Anak, lakasan mo ang iyong
loob; pinagaling ka ng iyong pananampalataya.
At gumaling ang babae mula sa oras na yaon.
(Mat 9:22)
The Lord gives us cheer: Tagalog Bible of
Comforter= MANGAALIW
At ako'y dadalangin sa Ama, at kayo'y
bibigyan niya ng ibang Mangaaliw, upang
siyang suma inyo magpakailan man,
(Joh 14:16)
God is the God of all comfort
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God
of all comfort;(2Co 1:3)
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we
may be able to comfort them which are in any
trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves
are comforted of God.(2Co 1:4)
Comfort (parakaleo)=paglapit, pagpapalakas
Tribulation(thlipsis)= pressure, oppression,
affliction, distress, straits
#2 source of comfort: the word of God
For whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learning,
that we through patience and comfort of
the scriptures might have hope.
(Rom 15:4)
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but
the word of our God shall stand for ever.
(Isa 40:8)

Ang damo ay natutuyo, ang bulaklak ay

nalalanta; nguni't ang salita ng ating Dios
ay mamamalagi magpakailan man.
(Isa 40:8)
#3 source of comfort: brothers and sisters
in Christ, Christ’s church
Wherefore comfort yourselves together,
and edify one another, even as also ye do.
(1Th 5:11)
Dahil dito kayo'y mangagpangaralan, at
mangagpatibayan sa isa't isa sa inyo,
gaya ng inyong ginagawa.
(1Th 5:11)
Comfort= parakaleo =lumapit, palakasin,
pangaralan upang lumakas ang loob
to call to one’s side, call for, summon
to address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which
may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty,
comfort, instruction, etc.
 2a) to admonish, exhort
 2b) to beg, entreat, beseech
2b1) to strive to appease by entreaty
 2c) to console, to encourage and strengthen by
consolation, to comfort
That’s why our pastors and friends in
Church visit us in times of pressure,
tribulation, affliction
And we sent Timotheus, our brother, and
minister of God, and our fellow labourer in
the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and
to comfort you concerning your faith
(1Th 3:2)
 Comfort/Cheer up/encourage other discouraged
Christians
Prov 17:22
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a
crushed spirit dries up the bones.
‘GUSTO NG LORD, CHEERFUL KA’
Rejoice evermore.
(1Th 5:16)
Rejoice: chairo- to be full of cheer, calmly happy or
well off
Don’ts:
Don’t comfort yourself with the miseries of
others. (ex. magpasalamat dahil mas
mahirap ang sitwasyon ng iba)
Don’t comfort yourself with alcohol or
drugs.(masisira ang atay at utak)
Don’t comfort yourself by insulting others
(ex. Pangit naman siya, masa maganda
ako sa kanya)
Sino ang maghihiwalay sa atin sa pagibig ni
Cristo? ang kapighatian, o ang kahapisan, o ang
paguusig, o ang kagutum, o ang kahubaran, o
ang panganib, o ang tabak? (Rom 8:35)

Gaya ng nasusulat, Dahil sa iyo kami'y

pinapatay sa buong araw; Kami ay nabilang na
parang mga tupa sa patayan. (Rom 8:36)
Hindi, kundi sa lahat ng mga bagay na ito tayo'y
higit pa sa mga mapagtagumpay sa
pamamagitan niyaong sa atin ay umibig. (Rom
8:37)

Sapagka't ako'y naniniwalang lubos, na kahit

ang kamatayan man, kahit ang buhay, kahit ang
mga anghel, kahit ang mga pamunuan, kahit
ang mga bagay na kasalukuyan, kahit ang mga
bagay na darating, kahit ang mga
kapangyarihan, (Rom 8:38)
Kahit ang kataasan, kahit ang kababaan,
kahit ang alin mang ibang nilalang, ay
hindi makapaghihiwalay sa atin sa pagibig
ng Dios, na nasa kay Cristo Jesus na
Panginoon natin. (Rom 8:39)
May God himself, the God who makes
everything holy and whole, make you holy and
whole, put you together--spirit, soul, and body--
and keep you fit for the coming of our Master,
Jesus Christ.
(1Th 5:23)

The One who called you is completely

dependable. If he said it, he'll do it!
(1Th 5:24)