Sorrow is a prevalent part of every human being’s life. In Scripture, Psalm 13 is one of many examples of sorrowful appeal: “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?” (vv. 1–2a). But even though his despair is great, the psalmist concludes his prayer with faith and praise: “But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me” (vv. 5–6). Believers can rejoice that the sorrow in their lives is one way God sanctifies His children. With this encouragement in mind, the Inkwell staff is pleased to present “Sorrow”!

Sorrow: a feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune.

Our writers have covered many territories of sorrow—the shattering feeling of loneliness, devastation over a physical ailment, grief over a loved one’s death. We hope you enjoy our writers’ explorations of the theme, and we are pleased to include a guest submission by a current student!

You can read “Sorrow” below or download a PDF of the issue here.