Jesus Sees Your Sorrow

 

From Mourning to Joy

When the Lord saw her, 

His heart went out to her and He said,

 ‘Don’t cry.’

 Luke 7:13 

Lent is a season of remembering. We journey with Jesus toward the cross, walking through sorrow, repentance, and the longing for resurrection. Along this path, we encounter stories that shine like lanterns in the dark—stories of grief, and also of joy.

One such story is found in Luke 7:11-17.

A widow walks behind the funeral procession of her only son. With him, her future is buried. No plea escapes her lips. No one expects a miracle. Her world has ended quietly. But Jesus saw her.

Not just her tears, but her.

Not just her loss, but her life.

And His heart went out to her.

That is the heart of our Savior—the one we reflect on during Lent. He does not wait for eloquent prayers. He doesn’t require perfect faith. He comes near in compassion. He speaks a gentle word—“Don’t cry”—and then does the unthinkable.

He touches the bier.

He calls the dead to life.

And then, in one of the most tender lines in Scripture, He gives the young man back to his mother.

Imagine the astonishing joy that filled her heart.

Just moments ago, she was crushed under the weight of death—now, she holds her son alive in her arms. Her mourning turns to dancing, her despair to laughter, her hopeless silence to a song of praise. In one encounter with Jesus, everything changed.

This is the kind of Savior we follow.

One who steps into our suffering and raises what we thought was lost.

One who sees us, speaks life, and restores joy.

Lent invites us to hold space for both sorrow and resurrection. We remember the cross and anticipate the empty tomb. We grieve what is broken while watching for the touch of Christ that brings healing. Like the widow, we may not have the words to pray—but Jesus sees us, and His heart is already moving toward us.

He sees. He feels. He acts.

And He gives back what we thought was gone—restored, renewed, resurrected.

Prayer:

Jesus, during this Lenten season, I bring You my grief, my silence, my buried hope. Thank You for being the God who sees me and is moved with compassion. Raise to life what I thought was lost. Speak joy into my sorrow. Teach me to wait for Your resurrection touch, and to trust that You are near, even now. Amen.