Today is a day of grieving for me. It is nearly 6 months since my mom went home to be with Jesus and there are still times the grieving is very hard.
I think so often about what she would have to say about how much my life has changed since her passing, and I long to talk with her. When I am driving places I wish I could call her and just discuss life again... Days like this one make me so very glad I spent all that time with her when I did, caring for her and loving her and showing her Jesus.
I got to thinking that (duh!) I am not the only one in this position, lots of people have lost someone they love so dearly and deeply! How can we grieve honestly and yet honor God in the process?
I once had a pastor tell me that I should not cry when a Believer died, that it was somehow wrong to grieve their passing- what hogwash! Even when a Believer passes on there is a void that remains in the life of those left behind. Memories, keepsakes, and special events are brought back to the forefront of life in the days and weeks after the passing of someone you love.
So, how should we grieve? As in all things the Word of God is our final authority and to it we must go for our answer. Jesus wept (John 11:35) because He felt emotion. He wept as He saw the pain and suffering of His friends in the death of Lazarus. He wept even though He knew Lazarus would be raised from the dead in minutes!
The Apostle Paul said in 1 Thess 4:13 that we must not grieve like those who are hopeless. In other words, we are not to grieve over the death of a Believer as we would over the death of an Unbeliever. Our loved ones who trusted Christ for their salvation are truly rejoicing from the moment they take their last breath! There is true hope in that reality but it does not mean that we do not grieve at all. We would be cold and hard hearted in such a case! We still are separated from someone we love, we still experience a loss, even if it is only a temporary loss. We cannot enjoy their presence right now or most likely for years to come. The good times we shared with them here are over forever and that surely leaves a gaping hole in our lives.
As I said before, something I miss terribly is being able to call my mom on the phone. We talked almost daily, even if it was only a few minutes sharing each others daytime activities. Her voice is still on the answering machine at my dad's house, and it is a great comfort to me at times just to be able to connect with those days.
While I grieve deeply for loosing all those things I enjoyed, I also rejoice in knowing where she is and that she is pain free, walking with Jesus, knowing Him completely, and...waiting for me.Labels: Death, Grieving