Flores Family | Wednesday | 11/11

The Grief We Don't See

Psalm 137:1–6

Alongside Babylon’s streams,

    there we sat down,

    crying because we remembered Zion.

² We hung our lyres up

    in the trees there

³     because that’s where our captors asked us to sing;

    our tormentors requested songs of joy:

    “Sing us a song about Zion!” they said.

⁴ But how could we possibly sing

    the Lord’s song on foreign soil?

⁵ Jerusalem! If I forget you,

    let my strong hand wither!

⁶ Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth

    if I don’t remember you,

    if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy.

"By the rivers of Babylon—there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion."

These words come from people who know what it means to be far from home.

The Israelites had been carried into exile. Their familiar world had been taken from them. They were living in a foreign land, surrounded by unfamiliar customs and expectations.

And they grieved.

Sometimes we forget how deeply our surroundings shape our sense of belonging.

Home isn't simply an address.

Home is familiar voices, shared traditions, favorite foods, relationships, and memories.

When we lose those things, even temporarily, something within us grieves.

Mario and Mackenzie invited us to consider what life can be like for missionary kids.

Imagine being a teenager who suddenly has to leave friends, family, familiar surroundings, and everything that once felt like home.

You move to a new country, learn a new language, enter a new school, and navigate a culture you don't understand.

And while everyone celebrates the exciting missionary adventure, you may be quietly grieving everything you've left behind.

A person's life can be filled with extraordinary experiences and genuine grief at the same time.

One does not cancel out the other.

That's an important reminder for how we love people.

Sometimes we assume that because someone appears successful, resilient, or blessed, they must not be struggling.

But we rarely know the full story of what someone is carrying.

And perhaps one of the most loving things we can do is make room for another person's grief without feeling the need to explain it away.

Reflect: 

Is there someone whose struggles you may have overlooked because their life appears exciting, successful, or comfortable?

Pray: 

God of compassion, forgive me for the times I've overlooked the pain of others. Give me eyes to recognize the grief people carry, even when it isn't obvious. Teach me to listen without judgment, to offer compassion without easy answers, and to make room for people to be honest about their experiences. Amen.