When Grief Comes

This slender volume is full of wisdom about dealing with grief and comforting someone who is grieving. Neely draws readily from his more than forty years of pastoral and personal experiences to affirm that each person will grieve in his own way, but grieving follows a general path. Understanding that path provides reassurance that recovery will come in time.

Neely reminds the brokenhearted that they will be able to comfort the newly afflicted and he warns the well-meaning that silent companionship can be more comforting than many words in those early days. Part two looks at the ways God prepares us throughout life for suffering: as children when we lose a grandparent or a pet.; and as adults when we suffer infertility or see our aged parents decline. In part three he writes about God's tender mercies in the midst of grief and the signs of hope in this life that point to our ultimate hope in the next.