Grief is an Artist

Grief is an artist painting vivid strokes across the canvas of our lives. Like any artist wielding a brush, grief doesn’t ask if it can; it just does. Grief moves freely; boldly. Sometimes, grief leaves beauty in its wake. Sometimes, grief only leaves chaos. As an artist, grief is raw, unfiltered, and unapologetic.

Shattered. Tattered. Scattered.

In the wake of loss, we see ourselves transformed. Grief sculpts our souls, chiseling away the familiar to reveal what lies beneath. We learn to see life through a different lens, sharpened by pain but softened by compassion.

Grief is a storyteller, layering colors and textures upon colors and textures, recounting our memories—good, bad, ugly, and otherwise. Deep blues of sorrow mingle with fiery reds of anger, pale yellows of hope, and the stark whites of emptiness. Grief’s hues, difficult to embrace, tell our story.

We love. We lose. We long.

Grief destroys and it generates. As an artist, I find meaning in the chaos grief leaves behind. Grief compels me to create something new. It leads me to express what words fail to capture. The work itself can take many forms. A song. A poem. A painting. It can even be found in quiet acts of service, rebuilt connections, or a reimagined life that stays behind in the wake of all the pain. Nothing remains the same.

Grief forces us to confront the impermanence of life, slapping us in the face with the grim reminder that nothing cherished is guaranteed. Nothing lasts forever. The end comes for us all, eventually. Even so, through its relentless presence, grief shows us the depth of love and the capacity of the human spirit to endure and heal. We are resilient. We go on.

We continue moving forward.

For me, as an artist, grief is messy, unpredictable, but also a welcome inspiration. Grief gives me the opportunity to transform something painful into something profound—something beautiful.

At its best, grief teaches us to see the world differently—not as it was, but as it could be.

Today, I can be grateful for my health, for my mind, and for my art. I can move and I retain all my faculties. I can still love, create, and breathe.

Life is as beautiful as grief is painful.

Isaiah 61:3-4 NLT

³ To all who mourn in Israel,
he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

⁴ They will rebuild the ancient ruins,
repairing cities destroyed long ago.
They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.

How has grief shaped your canvas?

Sunday would be my sister-in-law’s 65th birthday. But God had other plans. As you think about it, please pray for our family as we celebrate her memory.

Until my next post…

Grace and peace,

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™