There is no emotion so deeply distressing as grief. The death of a loved one leads to sadness, shock, numbness, and bewilderment. Feelings of regret, guilt, anger and self-pity surface, as memories emerge. Some of these recollections are intensely happy; others are painful. But the sense of loss lingers.
Thank God for the ability to shed tears, but it can feel that an ocean full will not be enough to heal the hurt. Endless words from family and friends are well meaning but inadequate to relieve the heartache and heaviness of the loss. Nevertheless, people want to genuinely sympathise in your sadness.
Who then can help at such a time? Where can genuine comfort be found? Not in social life, nor in solitude, not in the stars or occult, but in the Saviour. The Bible says
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us...". God cares for us, can cope with us and will comfort us in our deepest distress, if we turn to Him and trust Him. God, in the Bible, promises:
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God." There is comfort in knowing that God promises to never leave us nor forsake us once we have put our trust in Him.
There is comfort in knowing that God is willing to forgive us for all our wrongdoing, if by faith we call upon Him. Death is not the end. God the Maker of heaven and earth, and the Giver of life, has told us in His Word,
"You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fulness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures for evermore."
"Jesus said,
'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may dies, he shall live'".
"Our Saviour Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."
In some ways it could be a daunting thought that God knows the secrets of the hearts and lives of all men and women. After death, each individual will stand before Him, and then it will be impossible to hide anything from Him. The Bible teaches that there is both heaven and hell: a place of bliss and a place of banishment. They are for eternity. None of us deserve heaven; we are simply not good enough. However, we need not be frightened.
Psalm 23 has classic Bible words:
"Yah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You (God) are with me." It is possible to be absolutely certain of a place in heaven, through trusting the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our sins separate us from God. The Bible teaches that it is our sin which is the sting of death. Wondering how our lives will be looked on and how we will fare when it comes to life after death can be troubling issues. It is normal to ask if we will see our loved ones again, after life. Deep down we know that it is not true that we've "never done anything wrong". All of us have sinned. How will this affect us? How can one be sure of heaven?
Christ came to pay the price of our wrong attitudes and actions. The Bible says,
"There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus."
It is normal and natural to grieve. However, even at this time of sorrow, God can draw near to you to strengthen and help you. He will be with you through every season of life. His presence will sustain you in difficult and joyful times. He is not merely a crutch in tough times, but a constant friend. When eventually death comes to you, its devastating power will have been broken because of the Lord Jesus.
Jesus brings genuine comfort in times of sorrow.
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