Latest / Jo Watson: Unfiltered Faith / Grief: Healing while holding on
Transcript
- Jo Watson: Wow. Welcome back to Unfiltered Faith. I'm Joe Watson, and it's time to breathe. Time to slow down. Time to let your shoulders drop and time to step into the sanctuary. Not the sanctuary that we're all so familiar with, but the one that God is building inside you. Family, this is the space where we talk honestly about life, loss, healing, and the God who meets us in every chapter. Today's episode comes from a heartfelt letter, one that speaks to the quiet places grief still touches, even years later. This letter is from Jessica, and her words carry a tenderness that many of us know all too well. This is what Jessica wrote. Dear Dr. Watson, thank you for creating a space where people can openly talk about faith and life's hardest moments. Your podcast has been a blessing and an encouragement to me. I wanted to ask a question that's been on my heart. I lost my father six years ago, and while time has passed, I still find myself grieving in ways I didn't expect. God's word reminds us that He is close to the broken hearted in Psalms thirty four eighteen, and I hold on to that promise, but some days the loss still feels heavy. My question is, how do you continue to trust God while carrying the grief of losing a parent? What biblical wisdom would you share with someone who is still healing years after such a significant loss? Jesus wept in John eleven thirty five reminds us that grief is not a sign of weak faith, but I'd love to hear your perspective on what healthy Christ centered healing. looks like and how we can honor those we've lost while continuing to walk in hope. Thank you for your ministry and for pointing people to Christ. I look forward to hearing your thoughts, blessings, sign Jessica. Jessica, thank you for trusting this space with something so tender. Your grief is not a failure of faith, it is evidence of love. And love leaves echoes long after someone has gone home to be with the Lord. You ask how we continue to trust God while carrying the grief of losing a loved one. And the truth is trust and grief. Often walk side by side. They are not enemies, they are companions on the same road. Scripture tells us in Psalms 34, 18, that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and that is powerful because it doesn't say that the Lord is close to you after you heal, not close to you once you stop crying, but that He is close in the breaking. Close in the unexpected waves, close to you in the moments years later when the ache still catches you off guard. And you're right. John eleven thirty five says Jesus wept, and that reminds us that the Savior of the world stood at a graveside and cried, not because he lacked power, but because he loved deeply. Your tears do not dishonor God, they reflect his heart. Healthy, Christ centered healing doesn't mean getting over the loss. It means learning to carry it with grace. It means letting God hold the parts that still feel heavy. It means remembering your loved one with gratitude instead of guilt. It means allowing all Hope to rise without forcing the pain to disappear. Isaiah 41 10 says, Fear not, for I am with you. I will strengthen you, I will help you. Healing is not a sprint, it's a companionship with God, and He walks every step with you. Jessica, your loved one's legacy is not lost. It lives in your faith. It lives in your faith. In your resilience. It lives in the way you still seek God in the middle of your healing. You honor your loved one every time you choose hope. And hope, even when held with trembling hands, is still holy. So before we move any further, let's take a moment to breathe, to settle our hearts. And to invite God into the places where grief still whispers. Let's pray. Father, we lift Jessica up before you today, and every listener carrying grief that time has not erased. Wrap your arms around their hearts. Let your nearness be their comfort and your word their anchor. Teach us that grief is not weakness, it is love remembering. Teach us that healing is not forgetting. It is trusting you with what still hurts. Strengthen Jessica with your peace. Let hope rise gently in her spirit. And remind her that her loved one's life mattered and still matters. Be close to every broken heart today, just as you promised. In Jesus' name. Amen. Family, healing does not follow a straight path. Grief doesn't follow a schedule. But God's presence is consistent, steady, and faithful. Jessica, thank you for your courage, your honesty, and your heart. Your story will help someone else breathe again today. And to every listener, may you walk in hope. May you honor your loved ones with joy. And may you remember that even in the eighth, God is still near. Thank you for joining me today on Unfiltered Faith. If this episode spoke to you, share it with someone who needs the reminder that you are not alone. And that God is still near. And if you are struggling with grief too deep for you to bear, this episode is not a substitution for professional therapy or pastoral care. Please seek the help that you need. And until next time, family, unfiltered faith, God is moving. So stay ready.