The Christian's Journey Through Grief by Carol Peters-Tanksley

Author:Carol Peters-Tanksley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Charisma House
Published: 2019-04-12T00:00:00+00:00

You may struggle with that same desire—to die too and be “with the Lord.” Paul says nothing about that desire being wrong in itself. But he hastens to add that voluntarily acting on that desire (causing one’s own death) is not God’s plan. (If your loved died as a result of suicide, we’ll talk about that more in chapter 9.) Paul wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body” (Phil. 1:21–24). Paul still had a job to do, and he embraced the mission God had for him as long as he was needed here on earth.

If you’re breathing, God still has something for you to do here. You may not know what that is right now, and that’s OK. The death of a loved one is one of those times when the meaning of life becomes very important to many people. When you’re hurting so badly, it may seem preferable to forgo your purpose and just quit. But I can assure you, and others who have walked this journey before you can assure you too, that you won’t always feel as you do right now. In wrestling with this myself, I’ve come to the decision that I’m OK with sticking around as long as God needs me here and not one moment longer. I believe that’s the decision Paul came to, and I pray it’s the decision you come to also. And it makes me even more determined to make what time I have left fully count for the kingdom of God. I pray you’ll do the same.

Dear grieving friend, all you may be able to see right now is death. Death has robbed you of someone you loved, and your world appears to have ended. It may seem as though nothing could possibly be bigger than death. I understand as much as a fellow grieving human being can. Jesus understands completely. Your heart is broken into a million pieces, and you can’t imagine it ever being any other way.

But while I have my arm around you and mix my tears with yours, I also bid you to look up! There is One who voluntarily entered death’s territory for the purpose of destroying sin, fear, sickness, evil, bondage—and death. He deliberately and knowingly entered the open jaws of death, walked up to the keeper of the prison house of the grave, and wrested the keys from his hands. Then He walked out of His own grave, holding death’s keys in His wounded hands and leading a train of freed captives behind Him as He declared the death of death.

Can’t you see? The black and dark and universal enemy that has stolen your loved one is only a temporary and defeated foe.

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