I didn’t want to walk “There.” That path was not my choosing. I wouldn’t dare accept it for some years.

Then I watched as God brought me heart after heart in need and somehow I had an insight I never had before.

Most don’t understand grief and many belittle it until you’ve been baptized into it.

You’ll turn your head from other’s pain until it’s one you, yourself, recognize.

Your life will keep on keeping on with little thought of a broken heart, until yours has been broken.

You’ll likely quote scripture to the hurting until you are one and realize quoting doesn’t always help. Showing up does. Hugging does. Staying close does. It’s more about being the hands and feet of Jesus than quoting Him.

You’ll wish people would just “get over it” like they can turn off a water faucet. That’s because you haven’t walked that kind of journey yet.

There is likely a day of severe grief for us all. Whereby the deepest place in your heart will experience a pain that seems impossible to recover from.

Then you’ll understand.

Instead of rushing people through the pain, you’ll learn to sit with them when they cry. Send love in the mail. Stay in touch intentionally.

You’ll be more like Jesus than before because you’ll be moved by compassion just like He was.

“Acquainted with grief.”

No one wants to walk “There.”

Yet, life is not void of pain.

Let “There” transform your “Here and now” making you a follower of Christ that binds up broken hearts rather than overlooking them.