Anchoring Scripture
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35 (ESV)
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
— Psalm 34:18 (ESV)
Devotional
A few nights ago at our weekly men’s group, I decided to lay my heart on the table. I shared openly about where I stand: I love the Lord with all my heart, I trust Him completely, and I firmly believe we are redeemed from the curse of the law. I stand on the promises of Jesus, especially His power to heal.
We’ve seen Him do it before. When my father was diagnosed with lymphoma, God in His mercy saved and healed him. Through that trial, doctors discovered prostate cancer. Today, we find ourselves in the trenches once again, praying fervently for a complete cure.
While sharing this, a well-meaning brother spoke up and suggested something that left me feeling unsettled. He implied that if I truly trusted God, I shouldn’t be feeling pain, suffering, or worry. In his view, real faith acts like an anesthetic; if you’re trusting God, you ought to walk through the valley completely untouched by grief.
I walked away from that group burdened. Is feeling pain a sign of weak faith? Does trusting Jesus mean turning off our human emotions?
I did what any believer ought to do when challenged: I dove straight into the Scripture. And God’s Word set the record straight.
1. We Are Called to Walk Alongside Our Parents
First, Scripture makes our duty to our family abundantly clear. God commands us to honor and respect our parents (Exodus 20:12), to live out that honor in obedience and care (Ephesians 6:1–3), and to support them in their older years as an expression of true godliness (1 Timothy 5:4).
Walking with my father through his cancer battle isn’t just an obligation; it’s an act of biblical obedience and love. But when you love deeply and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with someone in a battle, you carry the weight with them. You can’t simply turn off your heart.
2. Shared Pain Is a Biblical Reality
The Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12:26 that the Church—and by extension, the family God placed us in- is a body: “If one member suffers, all suffer together.” My dad is a part of my body. When he hurts, I hurt.
Furthermore, Paul instructs us in Romans 12:15 to “rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn.” Grief is not a lack of faith; it is a biblical command to empathize with human suffering.
Even Jesus, our perfect example, showed us what it looks like to carry faith and grief simultaneously. At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus knew with absolute certainty that He was about to perform a miracle and raise His friend from the dead. Yet, when He saw the sorrow of those around Him, Jesus wept (John 11:35). His tears did not negate His faith; they revealed His divine love and compassion.
3. Finding Our Comfort in the Father
If you are walking through a valley today, hear this: God does not fault you for your anguish.
He does not ask you to wear a fake smile or pretend the trial doesn’t hurt. Instead, He promises His presence:
- He is near: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).
- He invites your burdens: “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
Trusting God doesn’t mean you won’t bleed when you’re cut. It means that while you feel the raw pain of living in a fallen world, you anchor your soul in the One who holds the ultimate victory. It is entirely normal, and deeply biblical, to weep, to hurt, and to pray for healing all at the same time.
Keep standing on His promises, keep praying for a cure, and let God hold your broken heart while you trust His hands.
Short Prayer
Father in Heaven,
Thank You for being a God who is close to the brokenhearted. Lord, I lift up my father to You today, standing on Your promises of healing and thanking You for how You have sustained him. When the weight of this journey feels heavy, remind me that my tears are not a failure of faith, but a reflection of love. Give me the strength to honor my father, the courage to stand firm in belief, and the peace of knowing You care for every burden I carry. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
Key Scriptures for Meditation
- Exodus 20:12 — “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”
- Ephesians 6:1–3 — “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’… that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
- 1 Timothy 5:4 — “But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.”
- John 11:35 — “Jesus wept.”
- Romans 12:15 — “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”
- 1 Corinthians 12:26 — “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”
- Psalm 34:18 — “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
- 1 Peter 5:7 — “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
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