TD Jakes Daily Devotional (June 18, 2025) The Strength in Sorrow.
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." - Psalm 34:18
My dear brother, my dear sister, hear me today. In the depths of your sorrow, there is a strength being forged within you. The pain you feel, the tears you've shed, they are not in vain. Our God sees you. He knows the weight you carry, the burdens that seem too heavy to bear. When you lose someone as close to you as your own heartbeat, it feels like the world should stop, but it doesn’t. Life keeps moving, and you have to find a way to keep moving with it.
But let me remind you of this truth: you are not alone. God is with you in the midnight hour, in the silence of your grief. When your mother, your confidant, your best friend, left this earth, God did not leave you. He was there, holding you up, giving you the strength to teach that Bible class, to run that revival, to preach on Sunday morning. He was there as you wrote that book by her bedside, pouring your heart out even as it was breaking.
Life does not pause for our pain, but in our pain, we find a deeper connection with our Creator. We find a God who knows suffering, who knows loss, who knows the agony of watching a loved one fade away. And in that knowing, He offers us comfort, peace, and the strength to keep going.
You may feel crushed, but remember, our Lord specializes in bringing beauty from ashes. He turns mourning into dancing, sorrow into joy. Your mother’s legacy lives on in you, in the love you shared, in the strength she instilled in you. Lean on that strength, lean on God, and know that you are being held by the Everlasting Arms.
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we come to You with broken hearts and weary souls. We thank You for Your unfailing love and for being close to us in our darkest hours. Strengthen us, Lord, as we carry on. Comfort us with Your presence. Help us to find peace in the midst of our pain. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
