The journey of grief seems so long, so treacherous, and so methodical.

If you dwell too much on the journey, you’ll wander along the creek side, lost.

Never stopping for a drink.

The water continues to flow along the path, and it is for your refreshing, your renewal.

For the journey is hard, and it’s not meant for eternity.

Stay alert and remain vigilant in the middle of the walk.

Stay revived and maintain the elements to survive.

Grief is like a thief if you’ll allow him to be.

He will steal days, years, even hours and minutes

He will steal joy and peace, prosperity and comfort.

Don’t let him stay too long, or he will even steal your sanity.

You can’t shut him out; for then, he will only come back with gained force.

But don’t open the gate wide to welcome; for he will consume all territory that is lonely.

Fortify the good within and remain watchful.

Maintain the gates with prayer, steadfastness and faith.

Let him walk through, but swing open the back door with a celebration and fanfare.

For he will always peek through the windows and the trellises, but he cannot set up to abide.

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.

Psalm 30:5

As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?” When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore, I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar.
Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me. The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life. I will say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
As with a breaking of my bones,
My enemies reproach me,
While they say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?” Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

Psalm 42

Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”

1 Samuel 16:1