{{item.title | uppercase}}

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NIV)

Each of us remembers in excruciating detail the moment our lives changed forever. We are suddenly immersed in an intense pain that is constantly threatening to consume us. There is no escape, no shortcut, no easy way out. Grief is inevitable.

So how then do we do it well and with Hope?

We allow ourselves to grieve.

You might be thinking, Well that’s easy, I can’t do anything but grieve. I get it. We have all been there. The grief is overwhelming to the point we can completely shut down. Trying to force ourselves to put on a happy face and move on just doesn’t work. And it’s not biblical. Jesus grieved! When Jesus’s friend Lazarus died, the Bible tells us Jesus wept. (John 11:35 NIV) And Jesus knew that Lazarus would be resurrected! When we grieve, it is a testimony to the world that we deeply loved and cherished God’s creation, made in His image.

We have to lean into God.

I am truly stunned at how difficult grief is. The pain brings us to our knees, and we cry out to God in desperation. The Psalms, in particular, give us so many examples of God’s children crying out to Him in despair. Just like the psalmists, we have to lean into God and trust He is who He says He is.

We ask for and accept help from others.

So often we try to be strong or try not to let others see our pain.

We do not have to be strong. God tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV):

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

We do not have to hide our pain from others. He created us to be in community with other believers. Romans 12:5 NIV tells us:

so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

We continue to fulfill our purpose.

As the battle rages on, we feel defeated, utterly discouraged, and on the verge of complete destruction which eventually leads us to the quintessential question, “Why am I still here?”

As recorded in John 17:1-26, Jesus, after being tortured, scourged and beaten, prayed for us in the very hour of His death. While enduring pain beyond comprehension, He prayed these words, clarifying our purpose – in no uncertain terms.

that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
John 17:21 ESV

Our purpose is clear. We are His presence here on earth so that the world may come to know and believe in God’s love for them. You don’t have to look very far to see we are desperately needed. Our purpose supersedes any other we could possibly imagine or hope for!

We serve others.

The world desperately longs to experience God’s love. The Holy Spirit within us is an abundant source of His love and is the only way that need can ever be met. As we surrender to His will and align ourselves with the path He has prepared for us, countless lives will be changed, not only in this generation but for generations to come.

We rejoice.

Our Lord is sovereign and He is faithful. He has a plan for our lives. Just like the disciples, our paths can be painful and difficult. But we are never alone and we know He loves us. The eternal battle is won! He will return. Knowing these things even in the midst of our suffering we can and we must rejoice. Just as Paul encouraged the Philippians to stand firm in their faith:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Philippians 4:4-5 (NIV)

Because the Holy Spirit dwells in us we can do these things; allow ourselves to grieve, lean into God, ask for and accept help from others, fulfill the purpose for our lives, serve others and rejoice! Through the power of the Holy Spirit we can grieve differently – with Hope!

Heavenly Father, help us grieve differently and let our Hope in You be evident for all the world to see! Amen.