"Nothing is often a good thing to do and almost always a good thing to say." Job's friends did well to sit with him in silence. But when Job poured out his anguish, they felt the need to answer him. This did not help.
A friend of mine is a great counselor. He says people cannot receive information when their hearts are broken. They need comfort first, then understanding.
Sooner or later we encounter unspeakable pain. Those who are hurting may say rash things. Instead of explaining, we can sit silently and offer the "ministry of presence." Nothing is almost always a good thing to say!
