Not many people can stand a cycle of misfortunes and still keep a calm face. Whenever we go through hard times, it affects our entire lives. Even though we might put out a good demeanor, it doesn’t change the effects of the pain. From personal experiences, I believe only God can take away pain and restore joy. The kind of joy and contentment believers feel in unpleasant times come from the joy of the Lord. The people in our lives are also instruments God uses to put smiles on our faces when we experience difficulties. If you know someone dealing with pain, loss, illnesses etc., be an instrument of joy. Instead of focusing on the person’s pain, be a light that radiates joy, calmness, peace, comfort and compassion. Bethsheba had experienced uncommon times. She had no plan to seduce the king of Israel with her bath but her body purification led her to the bosom of the king. One thing led to the other and she became a widow and suddenly the wife of the king. Before long, she gave birth and the child died. It wasn’t a natural death. God foretold king David about it. Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him (2 Samuel 12:24) When you look at the Bethsheba story, it seems like a cycle of painful experiences. She lost, gained and lost again. How would she handle this pain? The main reason the king married her was because of the pregnancy. The child from that pregnancy died and Bethsheba was left with nothing to hold onto. One thing we need to understand is that, when king David was rebuked for his actions, he accepted his errors and pleaded for mercy. Psalms 51 is the heartfelt prayer David prayed to God. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” (Psalms 51:1-2) So as at the time Bethsheba’s child died, God had already forgiven the wickedness but the child was already foretold to die. How did David help Bethsheba deal with loss? According to 2 Samuel 12:24, “David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The Lord loved him.” The healing of Bethsheba was a process. First, David comforted her. To comfort her, David might have had to show her that he cares and understands the pain she was going through. David didn’t comfort her alone, he went to her. Bethsheba and David spent quality time together. They had koinonia (fellowship). David made love to Bethsheba. Obviously, the buildup to this love making began with an expression of comfort, closer interactions and the possibility of feeling and understanding each other’s emotional needs. If Bethsheba had her reservation about David, these intimate moments with David would have helped allay all her fears. The progress of Bethsheba’s healing from emotional pain shows that we need to make time for people who are dealing with loss. Your one time care might not be enough to heal the pain. If you cannot be there in person, pray with them, send them messages and use every opportunity to put smiles on their faces. The result of David’s consolation and intimacy with Bethsheba was another child. Bethsheba gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. When legitimate love was demonstrated, the Lord also loved the child that was born. 2 Samuel 12:25 states that “and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah” (loved by the Lord). Bethsheba didn’t deal with her pain alone, God restored her. David became an instrument of comfort and compassion. The same David who messed up her marriage with Uriah and showed lack of compassion for the soul of Uriah, understood the need to comfort, care, love and hold on to Bethsheba at her time of loss. When people go through grief and loss, the best we can do to restore them is to show compassion. Remember, we approach pain differently so if you see them grieving more than necessary, don’t be quick to condemn them as faithless. Be intentional to support them back on their feet. If you are not sure of what to do, pray with them and for them. Prayer holds the key to many situations.
top of page
bottom of page
Comments