good grief

Some of the most beautiful things in life can also be the messiest. Is the mess worth it? Read on…

In Today’s Email

1. ✨ “Good Grief!”

2. 🎉 Retreat Registration is OPEN

3. 🌿 Tolkien on “Our Part”

✨ “Good Grief!”

One of the most beautiful things in the world is Christ’s Church. A collection of people from every nation, tribe, and tongue who worship a risen Savior who laid down His own life for their redemption.

However, each and every one of these people (including you!) still operate to some degree in what the Apostle Paul calls “the flesh.” Which means, we all have this incredible capacity to sin against one another, get things wrong, and jack things up.

SPOILER: this even happens in the Church! It can get a little messy. (But we wouldn’t know anything about that, right?…)

And when it does, we are saddened, angry, and discouraged.

“Good grief!” we say to ourselves at the latest headline of a pastoral moral failure. Or when we’re criticized on the basis of the preference of another. Or when we are seemingly slowly moved out of the role we have held without explanation.

You have your own occasions on which you say that phrase, or something like it, to yourself.

It’s usually an expression of frustration, a sigh of resignation. Without actually saying it, we think to ourselves: “That’s just the way things are.” 

In that sense, “good grief” can sound a little hopeless.

But what if grief isn’t hopeless? What if the ability to look at something broken and long for it to be made right is actually a gift from God?

The Holy Spirit stirs in us a holy discontent. He opens our eyes to what isn’t right in our culture, our world, our churches, and our own lives, not so that we can despair, but so that we can long for redemption.

Without grief, we would never hunger for things to be made new. 

But our enemy, of course, twists this gift. He whispers that our cynicism is wisdom and that pointing out a problem is the same as fixing it.

And so, in all of our “good grief” moments, we have two ways of responding.

1. We can respond by embracing cynicism - the tendency to distrust what seems to be good because we have tasted the bad.
   
   By choosing this option, we grow apathetic. We believe that the Church is just “broken”. So, our hurts and frustrations become the fuel for our dreams of “greener pastures.”
   

2. We can respond by choosing to reflect the beauty of Christian life, ministry, and community as best we can in the small area of influence we have.
   
   By choosing this option, we can commit to joyfully partnering with God in the local things He is doing.

How do you respond to your “good grief” moments? And where is that leading you?

Are you growing more and more disenchanted with the local church? Or do you see your local community as fresh soil to till?

Our responses to these moments set us on a trajectory. One path leads to resentment and bitterness. One path leads to fruit.

What makes you say, “Good Grief?” And how will you respond?

🎉 Retreat Registration is OPEN!

Worship leaders, music directors, and spouses - join us for our 10th annual Likewise Restorative Retreat… @ SEA!

We’re getting away together to experience real rest, to worship, and to enjoy the kind of community that refuels you for the year ahead.

What: 4 nights on the Royal Caribbean ‘Ovation of the Seas’
When: January 25-29, 2027
Where: Port of Los Angeles - sailing to Catalina Island & Ensenada, Mexico!

We would love for you to join us! Reserve your room today - prices will increase with the ship’s rate as we get closer to sailing!

🌿 Tolkien on “Our Part”

Join our community!

• Gatherings - Looking to connect with other leaders? Come to our free monthly hangs with local leaders in select US cities or join us quarterly online!

• One on One - Looking to process your ministry, your faith, or your challenges with a third-party you can trust? Set up a meeting with a member of our team.

• Vocal Coaching - Feeling stuck or discouraged vocally? We offer professional in-house voice coaching specifically to worship leaders. Best part? We raise funds so we can give you a BIG discount. Schedule a consultation with our team!