We daily thanked God for having brought us together, and we constantly rejoiced in the love and joy of our marriage. Our union embraced many family members and friends, and we regularly welcomed everyone into our home and to its atmosphere of love.
So when my husband suddenly passed on nearly two years ago, it was a devastating blow to our family and many friends. Initially, it seemed impossible to feel God's presence in the face of this tragedy. Although I felt exceedingly grateful for the outpouring of love and encouragement expressed through cards, flowers, visits, and other kind gestures from many loving people, I knew that a lasting solution to the feeling of persistent emptiness and grief could only be found through a deeper understanding of God.
As I prayed and found comfort from the Weekly Bible Lessons in the Christian Science Quarterly, one day this brief sentence in Psalms stood out to me: "Shew me a token for good" (86:17). I very much needed to see some indication of God's tender love for me—an affirmation of His eternal and unbroken goodness. I researched this citation in different translations of the Bible. Here are three I found particularly helpful:
