Praise & Shine

The loss of a loved one, whether it’s sudden or expected, can leave us shocked and unprepared. Your grief can leave you feeling lost and alone. Your mind becomes flooded with things you wish you had said or done. You wish you could say “I love you” one more time. You may not feel ready to say goodbye or deal with the grief that has overtaken you. When you are dealing with grief, your emotions can scatter your thoughts. In the middle of this confusion and difficult time, remember a few simple truths from the bible.

The Apostle Paul calls death our “enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:25-26). Death reminds us that we live in a broken world. Death was never part of God’s original design. When you recognize this, you will long for the final restoration of all things, when the last enemy–death–has been defeated.

Death leaves us feeling alone, but remember, you are never alone in the darkness. Your Savior, Jesus, has taken the name Emmanuel, or “God with us.” This name reminds you that when you came to Christ, you also became the place where God dwells! His presence makes it impossible for you to be alone. (John 14:15-20)

The death of Jesus Christ is a powerful demonstration that the best things can come from the worst. Peter said that Jesus’ death was an evil thing done by evil men to the only truly good person (Acts 2:22-36). Jesus died on the cross so God could defeat sin and death–two enemies we couldn’t defeat on our own. In the same way, God can and does bring wonderful things out of the darkest moments of our lives.

One day death will be put to death. The loss of a loved one should remind you that God’s work is not yet complete. Because of sin, death entered the world. Jesus died so we would no longer have to die. When He rose from the dead, death was defeated. Until He returns, we still experience death but one day life won’t give way to death. Children won’t mourn their parents, parents won’t mourn their children, and there will be no widows or grieving friends.

On the cross Jesus defeated death, and his resurrection is your guarantee that one day, all who believe in Him, will be resurrected to a life of glory and peace. One day He is coming again to end physical death and usher in a new heaven and earth where there will be no death, no tears, and no sorrow (Revelation 21:1-4).

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If you are struggling with the grief after the loss of a loved one, please read this article for a deeper look into biblical truth, and how to find healing in God.

Finding Hope in the Darkness of Grief

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The righteous will live by faith. (Habakkuk 2:4) This is perhaps the most important connection between two words in the Bible.

Righteousness and faith.

To be righteous means that you are right with God. You know what it feels like when your relationship with another person is just right. Nothing can stand between you, and you always do right by each other. With God, that’s called righteous, and in the Bible, it’s the only way to heaven.

“But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.'” Galatians 3:10.

The problem is we can never live to the standard of righteousness set by God.

“So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law…” Galatians 3:11.

So God made a way to reconcile us.

“But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hong on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoinge…” Galatians 3:13.

Jesus paid for our sins, to break the curse, and make us righteous. Right with God by faith in Jesus. The righteous shall live by faith.

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We will continue the theme of serving the kingdom this week.

Jesus tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:7 that we are all given at least one spiritual gift. Our spiritual gifts are specific ways that the Holy Spirit works in our lives according to God’s purpose. These gifts, along with our interests, abilities, hobbies, likes, and dislikes, come together to form who we are and how we participate in the work God is doing all around us.

These gifts, however, aren’t just for ourselves. We’re called to use them to serve others as good stewards of God’s grace (1 Peter 4:10). God takes who He made us to be and matches it with the needs of others.

As we continue to grow, we’ll naturally develop deep care for other people. Our attention will turn away from our own needs to the needs of others (Galatians 5:13).

The Gospel is enacted through local churches all around the world. It is through actions like opening doors, holding babies, pouring coffee, and praying for others that we discover how we are made and how the Lord can use us.

We should also serve outside the church, meeting the needs of others where they are. Volunteer at a local shelter or soup kitchen. As you serve outside the church, you may be the only piece of Jesus that others see in their day.

By serving others, we are awarded the opportunity to know more about who God made us to be. We learn our likes and dislikes. What we can and can’t do well. God will fill in the picture as we discover more about ourselves. He will continue to grow us while He uses us to meet the needs of others.

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