Monday, July 22
Without a doubt, the primary source of consolation is our compassionate heavenly Father, Jehovah. (2 Cor. 1:3, 4) Another source of comfort to grieving ones is the Christian congregation. (1 Thess. 5:11) How can you strengthen and console those who have “a crushed spirit”? (Prov. 17:22) Bear in mind that there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak.” (Eccl. 3:7) A widow named Dalene explains: “Bereaved ones need to express their thoughts and feelings. Therefore, the most important thing you can do for a bereaved person is to listen—without interrupting.” Junia, whose brother took his own life, adds: “Even though you may not be able to grasp their grief completely, what counts is that you want to understand how they feel.” Remember, too, that not everyone experiences and expresses grief in the same way. w17.07 13 ¶3; 14 ¶11-13
