Grief

If you have lived long on this earth you have felt grief.  It is one of the normal human

emotions.  In the past few weeks the anniversaries of the deaths of my parents occurred.  The grief of losing a loved one doesn't ever completely leave.  Some days the grief seems very fresh and other times it is just a little part of our hearts.

As I was thinking about grief I came to realize that even though it is now a normal emotion it was probably never a part of the human experience until sin entered the world.  We grieve the loss of a loved one because of the separation.  Death entered the world because of sin.  

We have a lot of things that cause us grief.  The most common being death.  But, as Christian parents, an even more unbearable grief comes when one of our beloved children turns from the Lord.  

Even though we grieve we have every reason to hope.  Consider 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (ESV)  "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep."

Because Jesus himself experienced death and then rose from the dead we have the wonderful hope of seeing our loved ones who have died in the Lord again.  That gives us great comfort.  

Because we can pray and know that God hears our prayers and that God is patient (The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV))  we have tremendous hope even for our wandering children.

Consider that even our Lord experiences grief.  See Matthew 23:37 (ESV) “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!"  Ephesians 4:30 tells us that it is possible to grieve the Holy Spirit.  

My point is that grief comes to us all, even to our Lord.  How we handle it is what matters.  We should grieve with hope.  We should not stop praying.  We should never allow our grief to control us, making us unfruitful.  

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.  Psalm 42:11 (ESV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV)

fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)