Grief’s Unexpected Journey: 15 Comforting Devotions After Losing Someone You LoveSample

The Gift of Memory

As we read the story of Jesus’s birth, we come upon this verse about His mother’s memories. While it’s easy to imagine Mary as some sort of superhuman because of God’s great purpose for her, we are reminded in Scripture what a normal life she led. Just like any mother, Mary treasured in her heart her first moments with Jesus. It’s something we can all relate to in one way or another. We’ve all been given the gift of remembrance—certain times in our lives we’ve cherished with the people we love most. And in our times of loss, those memories become even more precious as they provide connections with the loved ones who are no longer with us on this earth.

As we pray for God’s comfort in our grief, we can be sure that one way He puts His arms around us is through the gift of memory. When Jesus gave His life, Mary was there at the foot of the cross. She faced the journey of loss just like we all do. We can imagine how God must have comforted her as she recalled moments shared with her beloved Son.

Being able to remember is a wonderful gift to help us through our toughest days. When our loving Creator knit us together, He intentionally blessed us with the ability to remember. When grief and loss entered our broken world, it was already part of His plan to help us recall the moments we shared and the connections we created in our love for each other. He also understood that some memories would be of hard things we’d rather not experience again. Just remember, He is the God of all. Pray for those comforting moments of remembrance to shine through for you. Your Father knows just what your heart needs, and He is there to lead you through.

Lord, thank You for Your gift of memory. Please help me to find true comfort in the precious moments I’ve shared with loved ones.