What to do with the pain of another?

Thoughts and prayers?

Send flowers?

Offer too many words and advice with good intentions but bad timing?

When Job’s three friends heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.

When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.

Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights.

No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.

‭‭Job‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The pain and suffering of those we love makes us uneasy at best and ineffectual at worst.

Job’s circumstances were so horrific there was literally no consolation to be given.

His three friends agreed on a plan.

They joined him in his grief and sat together with him in silence.

Ask anyone whose episode of grief left them at such loss to know what they needed at the time, just the company of a compassionate friend would be their first choice.

Struggling for the right words to speak, grasping for answers and explanations, believing that enjoining obligates you to solving the mystery of why or how…these are all YOUR issues that will only complicate another’s grief.

They sat with him for as long as he needed because that’s what friends do.