You wonder when the pain will stop—the crushing weight of the world’s emptiness. You wonder when you’ll stop picking up the phone only to realize there’s no one to call. You wonder when a song or smell that reminds you of that person won’t clutch at your throat and blind your eyes without warning.
“A single person is missing from you, and the whole world is empty,” as author Joan Didion puts it.
The emptiness can feel like a life sentence. You might feel alone, like no one fully understands your pain.
Jesus understands your suffering—because he suffered too (Isaiah 53:3). After Jesus was born on the earth, he promised to conquer our great enemy—death—forever.
On the cross, Jesus destroyed death by dying for us. Jesus suffered and died for you so that you can live in union with God (1 Peter 3:18). In the Bible, Jesus says he wants to take your suffering and trade it for joy (Matthew 11:28-30). Even when the world feels empty, even when you’re overcome by grief, God can give you a peace “far beyond human understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
That doesn’t mean you won’t still long for your lost loved one. It means that God can help heal the great emptiness you feel in your heart if you tell him about your pain and ask him for peace. Take a moment right now to reflect on these verses about God’s love for you, and then try to tell him how you feel:
God sees your suffering.
You know how troubled I am;
you have kept a record of my tears.
Aren’t they listed in your book? — Psalm 56:8
You can talk to God about your pain.
Trust in God at all times, my people.
Tell him all your troubles,
for he is our refuge. — Psalm 62:8
God is with you in the depths of your anguish.
Even if I go through the deepest darkness,
I will not be afraid, Lord,
for you are with me.
Your shepherd’s rod and staff protect me. — Psalm 23:4
God can bring you joy.
He has sent me to comfort all who mourn,
To give to those who mourn in Zion
Joy and gladness instead of grief,
A song of praise instead of sorrow.
They will be like trees
That the Lord himself has planted. —Isaiah 61:2b-3
God can give you peace.
Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. — John 14:27
The Bible encourages you to walk in God’s way and follow his commandments. It teaches that youth is a time for growing in faith and preparing for the future, rather than for a life of inconsistent frivolity.
Here are some recommendations from God for you who want to grow in faith and wisdom, and live a life full of blessings and success according to the teachings of the Bible.
1. Respect your parents and authorities in general: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you.” (Exodus 20:12).
2. Avoid bad influences and remain vigilant: “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’”. (1 Corinthians 15:33)
3. Follow the way of wisdom and humility, being vigilant against evil: “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.” (Proverbs 3:7)
4. Devote yourself to God and follow his teachings: “Honor the LORD with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce;” (Proverbs 3:9)
5. To seek the truth and to be diligent in the study of the Holy Scriptures: “Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalms 119:105)
6. Avoid the devil’s temptations and snares, by remaining vigilant and prayerful: “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)
7. Strive for purity of thought and deed: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)