2 Chronicles 35:25  Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments. (NIV)

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Elton John famously sang, Sad Songs Say So Much. What’s your favorite sad song? And why is it Alone Again (Naturally) by Gilbert O’Sullivan?

The Psalms include a number of songs of lament. These ancient songs teach us how to express our grief and loss appropriately. 

The book of Lamentations likewise helps us tell life’s most painful stories. Placing our grief in God’s hands transforms our pain. We see this expressed beautifully in Lamentations 3:22-23.

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, 
for his compassions never fail. 
They are new every morning; 
great is your faithfulness.

Grief handled with prayer eventually gives way to praise.

Jeremiah has been called The Weeping Prophet. Read the book of prophecy named for him, and you’ll see why. The book of Lamentations was also most likely written by him, and here we see in this text that he wrote songs “to commemorate Josiah in the laments.”

Jeremiah lived his life in a minor key.

I have two Eeyore coffee mugs. One is purple. The other is blue. These mugs remind me that not every day is a happy day. One of the most famous encounters in the Winnie the Pooh books occurs when Pooh says, “Good morning, Eeyore.” Eeyore replies, “Good morning, Pooh. If it is a good morning, which I doubt.”

These mugs remind me that there are legitimate occasions to feel sad and somber. Likewise, they also remind me that if I live a morose life, it probably indicates a choice to stay stuck in my grief. 

Charlie Brown, of Peanuts fame, is well known for saying, “Good grief.” Good grief always leads us back to the light. Grief is an important season; it is an awful lifestyle.

There is much, much more we should know about grief. This space is far too small to say it all. When grief is real, feel it. Take it to God in prayer. Find a song that fits your feelings and that likewise trusts the very heart of God, even when you cannot understand how he could allow something to happen that is so painful. 

Sad songs really do say so much. Thank you, Jeremiah, for helping us express our grief to God. Thank God that he collects all our tears in a bottle. Thank God that He will redeem every one of them. 

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I will sing sad songs in my grief and look for the light in the dark night of my soul.

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Our Father, thank you for the possibility of good grief. – Teaches us how to grieve appropriately. Remind us to slow down in those painful seasons. Give us the proper perspective when we feel so lost. Build your hope deep in our souls, reminding us that grief and loss are never the final words. Amen.