A God Who Comforts Us In Our Affliction
To say that 2020 has been a very difficult year is an understatement, especially for someone who went through so much loss this year. Imagine the pain of saying goodbye to two of your loved ones one after another, letting go of your job, and finding yourself in an unstable financial situation — and grieve alone. All these seem daunting, but by God’s grace, Abigail and her family endured it all.
It was August 14 when Abi and her family experienced their first loss – her uncle died of cardiac arrest while driving to work. Four days later, his brother, an expectant father to his first child, passed away due to heart enlargement. As if the blow of their demise didn’t hit them hard yet, weeks later they would find out both of their parents were COVID positive and must be put in quarantine. Their family went through pain and grief in isolation — alone. Their only means to comfort was to call each other through video calls.
Abi Cabo (top middle) and her family. Her late brother standing beside her (top left).
Yet in the midst of all the sufferings, Abi remembered his brother’s life verse in Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It was a very terrible time for the whole Cabo family. But it was the daily dependence on God and His grace that allowed them to walk by faith and not by sight in such a time of despair. “Lord, kayakayanin ko, in Your name. At kayakayanin talaga.” (“Lord, we will make it through this, in Your name. We are able.”) This became Abi’s resolve. And truly, God’s grace abounded in many ways. The Lord sustained their strength and their every need. Their parents, after fourteen days of quarantine, finally tested negative for COVID. And while it was painful to have lost a dear loved one, God had his way of bringing new life as they welcomed a new addition to their family — the daughter of his beloved late brother.
While grief will inevitably hit us at some points in our lives, it is the grace of God that comforts us in all of our afflictions. Jesus himself bore our griefs and carried our sorrows because of His love for us. He is near to the brokenhearted, the crushed in spirit, the grieving, and He is with us through it all. He will give us the strength that we need each day to endure. He will walk with us through it all.
“While grief will inevitably hit us at some points in our lives, it is the grace of God that comforts us in all of our afflictions.”