Recently, I’ve been trying to support a friend who’s going through a very sad and difficult time, and it has showed me the value of mourning and grieving with others.
Romans 12:15 (KJV) says
“Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”
It’s quite engrained in us to look on the bright side, stay positive, and not dwell on sadness, and although that is not inherently bad, there is a comfort that is found when someone shares and affirms your emotions and lets you know that you are not alone. We can be too quick to find the bright side and cheer someone up when really, what they need is for someone to just listen and commiserate with.
As much as we want to fix the problem and get the person on track, there is sometimes nothing that we can say or do to change the situation or make things better for them. Though it can be frustrating to not be able to physically help someone, I’ve found that it does help and comfort people when someone takes the time to pray, sit, listen, and even cry with them.