We all need to remember that we never grieve alone. Because God is a God of tender mercy and grace, he weeps for and with his people. He always gives you the grace you need to do what he calls you to do in the places where he leads you. He is the God of all comfort who comforts us in our suffering so that we can bring his comfort to others.

“Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” (1 Samuel 15:34-16:1)”

Ministry, this side of eternity, will be marked by moments of grief, just like like Samuel’s. Perhaps it will be the death of a vision, the need to discipline a trusted and influential leader, the knowledge of someone plotting against your God-given authority, sinful division among leaders, a resistant congregation, or a catalog of other difficulties that can obstruct and divert the ministry of a pastor and his congregation.

How do you deal with grief in ministry? This passage provides us with 6 observations:

1. GOD GRIEVES

It’s important to remember that the God you serve is a God who grieves. He’s not stoic and without passion. 1 Samuel 15:35 makes this very clear:“And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.” Don’t confuse God’s grief with regret; He isn’t sitting on the throne wishing he could take back his decision (see verse 29). Instead, this grief is over the sad outcome of the heart choices of Saul. The appropriateness of Samuel’s grief and yours in these moments is rooted in the holy grief of God.

2. YOU SHOULD GRIEVE

What kind of prophet would Samuel be if he didn’t look on this situation with great grief? The ungodly, proud, selfish, and unrestrained rebellion of Saul was this prophet’s nightmare.

Pastors and ministry leaders, there are moments in local church ministry when it’s not only right to grieve; it’s your calling to grieve. As God’s representative, you must faithfully depict the heart of God in these sad situations. You must not be uncaring. You must not be happy. You must not take a proud “I told you so” posture. Your ministry should be marked by moments of mourning in the face of the damage sin continues to do.

3. YOUR GRIEF ALWAYS REVEALS YOUR HEART

In his grief, Samuel almost lost his way. Perhaps he was wary of a tug in his heart between his love for Saul, his grief at Saul’s demise, and his loyalty to the work God had called for him to do. So God says, “You’ve grieved long enough, now get up and do my will.” The length and extent of your grief always reveals what’s important to you. The size of your grief always depicts what you’ve attached your hope to. The nature of your grief reveals what you’ve attached your inner well-being to.

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