Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen
Nobody knows my sorrow
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen
Glory, Hallelujah
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen
Nobody knows but Jesus
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen
Glory, Hallelujah
Sometimes I’m up
Sometimes I’m down
Oh, yes, Lord
Sometimes I’m almost to the ground
Oh, yes, Lord
Oh, nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen
Nobody knows my sorrow
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen
Glory, Hallelujah
Louis Armstrong, Harry James, Lena Horne, and others recorded this famous song even before I was born, but it has always been a favorite of mine.
It is a universal truth that we find it difficult to believe that ANYBODY utterly understands just how we feel. Never is this truer than in our grieving process. We often feel alone, even in a roomful of people.
Emily Dickinson said: I measure every grief I meet With narrow probing eyes — I wonder if it weighs like mine — Or has an easier size?
We all should be careful in saying to anyone about anything, “I know exactly how you feel!” Because we don’t know exactly how anyone feels, but ourselves!
When a great loss occurs, trying to help is a noble task. However, “Would you be able to tell me what you are feeling today?” goes a long way towards opening a line of communication rather than “I know exactly how you feel!”
Every grieving of a loss involves some unique circumstances, but also some universal truths that can often be helpful. A good counselor or faithful friend knows how to balance the unique and the universal.
Today, someone you see and maybe even know well is suffering from the loss of health, wealth, death, divorce, job, career, family problems, and loss of fellowship socially and spiritually during COVID-19 or some other crisis.
Today, if you are not IN a crisis, or just GETTING OVER a crisis, you better be very careful — because a crisis IS coming to your life!
I would never go to a counselor who would never go to counseling. Interestingly, in my graduate studies in counseling, I found more therapeutical techniques to help myself than I have ever unloaded on anybody else! As an additional thought — my wife has full authority to tell me it is time to go see MY counselor and one time in our marriage she activated that call — and I went.
Do you have anyone in YOUR life that you trust enough that if they tell you it is time to see a physician, minister, or therapist — you will GO? I hope and pray that you do!
“Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen!”
It doesn’t have to be that way.
Doug Greenway
These blog articles are written by the retired minister and former educator and counselor, Doug Greenway. He'd love to hear from you with your comments, questions, or suggestions for future topics. You may reach Doug at doug_greenway@yahoo.com.
Doug. This is my favorite written by you. I hope I am never a person to ask a personal question to a grieving Soul. This can cause them more grief. Thank you for addressing topics we can relate to and learn from. Thanks to you and Vickie for all your good works, and especially your friendship !!
This made me cry only because I know too many people that hurt and I can’t help. So many are in our church. I can pray for those that hurt but they don’t know I care. I don’t send cards or make phone calls like I should. Shame on me.