Ain’t That A VHIT
By Von C. Howard
Grief has a way of hitting our lives without warning. It doesn’t wait for the “right” moment, nor does it care about our plans, responsibilities, or the image of strength we try so hard to uphold. It arrives as a reminder that something meaningful has shifted in our lives. During a recent Sunday sermon, the pastor said something that echoed across the sanctuary and settled in many of our hearts: “Grief is the proof that we loved deeply and gratitude is the reminder that God still loves us.”
That truth is universal. Grief touches everyone, regardless of age, background, neighborhood, or circumstance. And it isn’t limited to the death of a loved one. Sometimes grief is the end of a relationship, the loss of a job, a dream that didn’t unfold, or a season of life that changed before we were ready. It’s the quiet ache of unmet expectations. But the pastor reminded us that grief, as heavy as it feels, is not where God expects us to pitch our tent.
Instead of treating grief like weakness, the sermon encouraged us to see it as a place of honesty. Many of us were raised to “push through,” to keep moving, to put on a brave face. But grief asks us to pause. To sit still long enough to feel what we often try to outrun. The pastor shared, “Before God heals your heart, He holds it.” That message resonated because it made room for us to be human, to feel pain without judgment.
Somewhere in the middle of the tears, God begins to shift something in us. Not suddenly. Not loudly. But gently. It may come through a memory, a scripture, a conversation, or a simple breath of clarity. The pastor called this moment the pivot of grace, when grief begins to loosen its grip just enough for gratitude to peek through.
In that moment, we begin to see:
- The love we experienced
- The lessons we gained
- The strength we discovered
- The faith that carried us
It doesn’t erase the hurt, but it starts transforming it.
Gratitude doesn’t demand that we forget. It simply invites us to remember differently. It allows us to say:
“God, thank You for what I had. Thank You for what remains. And thank You for holding me through what I don’t yet understand.”
Gratitude shifts our perspective, from what we lost to what God is still restoring. It becomes both worship and witness.
Moving from grief to gratitude is not a straight line. It’s a journey filled with steps forward and steps back. But every step reminds us of one truth:
We grieve because we loved.
We grow because God loves us still.
Yet somewhere between the sorrow and the healing, gratitude rises, quiet, steady, and powerful, testifying that God has been with us all along.