A couple of weeks ago, I fell and hurt my ankle. I went to the ER, where I was told it was a very bad sprain that should heal in about five days. However, despite trying to maneuver through the pain, each step was agonizing, and at times, I nearly fell from the shock I felt in my ankle and leg. After two weeks of coping with the pain, I noticed some improvement in certain areas but saw no progress in others. The pain was not only persisting but also spreading.

Eventually, I returned to the ER, only to discover that in addition to the severe sprain, I had also fractured a part of my leg. My prognosis for healing now ranges from 2 to 8 weeks, with no clear timeline for when I’ll feel completely normal again.

As I reflect on this journey, I can’t help but draw a parallel between the healing process of my injury and the process of dealing with grief. When we lose loved ones, it’s as if we experience a loss of mobility. Day by day, we try to navigate the ins and outs of what has been lost. We attempt to cope, limping through life much like I have with my swollen ankle and fractured leg. We move forward, but the pain cuts deep—much like a fracture.

It’s often difficult to think about a loved one no longer being with us. We miss the tangible expressions of their love, and that absence can make us writhe in emotional pain, much like the physical agony of an injury.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint.”
— Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)

Just as my leg requires time and care to heal properly, grief also requires time, patience, and trust in God. The healing of the heart takes longer than we expect, and often, just when we think we are making progress, a wave of sorrow can hit us, setting us back. But Isaiah 40:31 offers a beautiful promise. Those who wait on the Lord, even in the depths of sorrow and pain, will find renewed strength. They will soar above their anguish, finding hope where there was once despair.

Ellen G. White on Pain and Healing in Grief

Ellen G. White provides profound insight into the nature of grief and the comfort that God offers to the brokenhearted. She writes:

“The path to freedom from sorrow is through the sorrow itself. God leads His children by a way that they know not; but He does not forget or forsake them.”
— The Ministry of Healing, p. 473

Grief can feel isolating and endless, but the journey through it is not without purpose. God walks beside us, even when we cannot see His presence. He allows us to endure sorrow so that, in time, we will develop a deeper trust in Him and emerge stronger.

Restoring Strength and Faith

Much like the healing process of my leg, grief requires adjustments, rest, and time. When a physical injury occurs, we often have to slow down and allow our bodies to recover. In the same way, we need to give ourselves permission to grieve fully. We need to lean on the everlasting arms of Jesus and trust that, although we may feel weak today, His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Ellen G. White reminds us:

“Though the night of sorrow may linger, joy will come in the morning. The cloud may hang heavy over the soul, but faith pierces the darkness and leads us to the throne of grace.”
— Steps to Christ, p. 124

When we grieve, it feels like we are walking through the night, stumbling with tears and questions. Yet, faith pierces that darkness and carries us toward a brighter morning. It is in those moments of surrender, where we place our brokenness at the feet of Jesus, that we begin to see glimpses of renewal.

Walking Stronger Through the Pain

I’m still dealing with the pain, and I don’t know exactly how things will be once the fracture heals. But I do know that, in time, I will walk better and stronger than I do now. Likewise, no matter how deep the wounds of grief cut into the fabric of your soul—causing you to stumble and fall—given enough time, you will be able to walk stronger and more resolutely than you are today.

Isaiah 40:31 does not promise that the journey will be easy, but it assures us that those who wait on the Lord will walk and not faint. They will move forward, carried by divine strength that transforms sorrow into renewal. Grief may leave scars, just as physical injuries do, but those scars can become testimonies of healing, resilience, and faith.

As we continue this journey through pain and healing, may we hold on to the blessed promise that one day, we will soar above our heartache. Until then, let us trust in the One who sustains us, renews our strength, and leads us toward renewal.

— The Clay Pot Misfit