This is what David did.

Only after he wept was he able to encourage himself in the Lord.

The passage doesn’t say that David immediately encouraged himself in the Lord and said, “Okay men, it’s no big deal. We’ll figure everything out and get our wives back in a while.”

Instead he wept for himself and for his men. His men knew that David cared about them because he wept with them.

After he had grieved for a time, he was ready to step into his own Stepwell. The path down was wet with his own tears but when he got to the living water, he was able to come back out, ready to lead and do what he needed to do.

If you are going through something hard-it isn’t wrong to grieve. Of course you are going to grieve. You were made to grieve. God gave you the capacity to feel things deeply and of course, there are times you are going to feel overwhelming grief.

Just don’t forget your Stepwell when you do! Don’t forget that God has given you His resources for your inner healing. He will give you the encouragement you need.