Selah Moment with Dr. Althea Winifred
Grief is never one-dimensional. It is layered. Complicated. Deep.
Beneath the sorrow we readily acknowledge lies another level that often goes unspoken—shame. The shame of how we feel. The shame of what we didn’t say. The shame of what we couldn’t fix. The shame of surviving while others did not. The shame of not “getting over it” fast enough.
This week we expose what many hide: the hidden layers of grief. Because it’s not just the loss that weighs us down—it’s the internal judgment we carry with it.
God never intended us to grieve in hiding. He calls us to bring every layer—sorrow, shame, and survival—into His healing presence.
Sorrow That Speaks
Sorrow is sacred. It’s a language the soul uses when there are no words.
In Scripture, sorrow is not condemned—it’s acknowledged.
Jeremiah, known as the weeping prophet, declared, “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears…” (Jeremiah 9:1 KJV).
Jesus Himself said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death…” (Matthew 26:38 KJV).
Sorrow isn’t a sign of weak faith—it’s a sign of deep love.
When grief is honest, it doesn’t hide its sorrow.
It allows it to speak. To be heard. To be comforted.
Shame That Silences
While sorrow mourns the loss, shame often mourns ourselves.
We carry thoughts like:
“I should have been stronger.” “I should’ve seen it coming.” “I should be over this by now.” “Why did God leave me behind?”
These thoughts, left unchecked, become chains.
Shame makes us isolate. It convinces us our grief is too heavy, too disruptive, too embarrassing to reveal. It robs us of the freedom to grieve honestly.
But God’s grace speaks louder than shame.
Romans 8:1 declares, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…”
God is not disappointed in your sorrow. He is not measuring your healing. He is covering you in mercy.
Survival Isn’t a Sin
Some grievers carry the quiet guilt of survival.
Why am I still here when they’re gone?
Why did God preserve me?
Why didn’t I do more?
This is known as survivor’s guilt, and it is real.
But survival is not a punishment—it is an opportunity.
If God allowed you to remain, it is because purpose still breathes in you.
You are not a mistake. You are a miracle in motion.
Isaiah 46:4 says, “…even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear…”
Your life still matters.
Your breath is still sacred.
And God’s hand is still upon you—even in the ache of survival.
Bringing It All to the Cross
Sorrow. Shame. Survival.
Bring them to the cross.
Jesus bore all three.
He was a man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3), stripped and shamed (Hebrews 12:2), and yet He survived death to give life.
Because He overcame every layer, we can grieve without hiding.
Selah Moment: Unpacking the Hidden Layers
This week, take time to unpack.
Ask yourself honestly:
What am I ashamed of in my grief? What guilt am I carrying about surviving? What sorrow have I suppressed because I felt it was too much?
Bring those thoughts before the Lord—not to be judged, but to be healed.
Scripture Meditation This Week:
“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3 KJV)
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows…” (Isaiah 53:4 KJV)
“For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 30:17 KJV)
Prayer for Hidden Grief:
Father, I thank You because I know You hear me. Let Your will be done.
I bring You not only my sorrow, but also my shame.
The thoughts I haven’t told anyone. The guilt I carry in silence. The fears I hide from myself.
I trust that You see it all and love me still.
Help me release shame and embrace Your grace.
Remind me that survival is not failure—it is favor.
Heal the hidden places, and restore my heart.
Let Your truth drown out the voice of guilt, and let Your mercy cover the layers I’ve tried to bury.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Closing Reflection:
Grief has layers, but grace reaches deeper.
Let sorrow speak. Let shame be silenced. Let survival become surrender.
And know this—God doesn’t just heal the surface.
He heals the whole soul.
Selah Moment with Dr. Althea Winifred
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