God’s Purpose in Our Grief
And Jesus’ Glory Through It!
What happens to our soul when we experience deep, personal grief? What role does grief have in our walk with Jesus? In one brief passage, Peter explains it all. “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7, ESV).
Grief, Loss and Death at Christmastime
While this time of year is traditionally considered to be one of great joy, it also can be the one where the broken pieces of our hearts and lives most clearly show up.
My uncle, my father’s baby brother, died suddenly before the holidays.
At 28 years old, he had moved back in with the family and was working his way through some personal issues, when a complication with a hereditary illness caused his heart to stop one night.
Loss, Pain and the Healing Power of Music
When we go through heartache and crisis, God has many different ways to reach us. He may use loving relationships, the beauty of nature or even our work. Whatever that unique space is, he can use it to show us his goodness and glory in the darkest places of our lives. Music is how he reached our guest this week, long-time Christian musician Matthew Ward, after he tragically lost two of the closest people in his life. Life can be incredibly painful at times, but God is always near to his children, and he wants to show us how he will heal and transform our grief into something glorious. As we grapple with pain, we must always know that we can go to God and he will never turn us away.
Living Alongside Death
Losing a loved one can feel like a crushing blow, but as believers we must trust that God has important purposes behind death.
“I remember, 3 o’clock in the morning,” Ben Crandall related in a sermon on life and death, “on January the 18th, our doorbell rang.