What I Learned About Grief and Grace in 2024

Reviewing what turned out to be a challenging year mixed with highs and lows, I am looking back on the moments of grief that turned out to shape this year. I was reminded that grief has a way of carving out spaces in our hearts we didn’t know existed—spaces where sorrow and grace intertwine. Human beings can hold fast to two competing emotions at the same time. You don’t have to let go of one to make room for the other. Through the years, I’ve discovered that it’s in those places that God’s presence feels both tender and transformative. 2024 reminded me of what I’d already learned as well as teaching me some new lessons. Hawt Diggity.

As I look back, here are three lesson that stand out from among the rest:

1. Grief Isn’t Linear; Grace Is Constant
   Grief doesn’t follow a straight path. Some days, it feels like a heavy fog; other days, it hits like a tidal wave. But through every twist and turn, God’s grace remained steadfast. His presence was not only my anchor, but Terri’s as well, reminding us that even in the chaos, God remains the same; the Lord is unshakable and unchanging. While grief inclines, grace proved to be constant. That’s a comforting lesson to discover amid the turmoil and heartache.
2. God’s Strength Meets Us in Our Weakness
   There were moments this year when grief left me feeling completely undone. Terri, too. Yet, in those times, I experienced the eternal truth of 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” God doesn’t promise to shield us from pain, but He promises to sustain us through it. We don’t walk alone. God walks with us.
3. Grief Can Open the Door to Deeper Compassion
   Walking through grief this year gave me a renewed sensitivity to the pain of others. It opened my eyes anew. It softened my heart in unexpected ways, allowing me to show empathy and extend grace to those who are hurting. In part, my experience with grief led to my creation of the artwork for my first solo exhibition, When Your Days End In Why. I found that grief, while deeply personal, is also universal. Grief has a way of connecting us to the shared humanity of those around us. We can invite others to join us in our moments of deepest sorrow.

2024 reminded me that grief is a part of life’s journey. But, thankfully, by God’s grace it doesn’t define the whole story. As grace steps in, it fills the cracks with hope and healing, teaching us to trust in God’s greater plan anew, even when we can’t see it clearly.

As you reflect on your own year, was grief one of your teachers? How did grace meet you in life’s challenging moments this year?

My prayer for all of us is that we carry the lessons of grief and grace into the year ahead, allowing them to shape us into people who love more deeply and live more fully for the Lord, our God.

Until my next post…

Grace and peace,

Rainer Bantau—The Devotional Guy™