Hope for the Hurting Heart by Phil

On the 14th of this month we observe the day dedicated to love - Valentine’s Day. It is common to celebrate by showering the object of our affection with candy and flowers (which is not nearly as impressive if your person has allergies). Apparently, to truly feel loved it is to be fat and sneezy.

Seriously though, for many this is a difficult time as we are reminded of loved ones who are no longer with us. Holidays can be lonely and sometimes accompanied by grief.

Grief is a confusing condition. For some reason, it has become a sign of weakness or lack of faith, almost something to be embarrassed or ashamed about. Although arguably it could have been avoided if Eve had just eaten the banana, grief is a natural emotional state, part of the complex human experience God created. Grieving is very present in the Bible, and those who grieved were not looked down upon (except maybe Job, and his friends were clueless).

I recently watched a movie about the life of C.S. Lewis, and he had some interesting insights to share. Love and grief go hand in hand. If we've never truly loved a person, we won't grieve when they are no longer with us.

The same can be said about joy. We can never truly experience joy unless it comes from the Lord and our time with Him. Once we've experienced it, our hearts and souls long for more. Grief is that longing - for more time, for more closeness. The loss of our loved ones and the realization of our broken relationship with God can either keep us stuck in the past or encourage us to press toward the future where those relationships are finally and eternally restored. Grief can become more than an impediment. It can serve as a catalyst to take another step toward our heavenly home.

Death and separation were never part of God's original plan for the world. Grief is proof that this world is not the one we were made for. That one is waiting for the believers, where we will forever be united with the Lord, and our joy will be complete. Then grief will no longer be needed, for loss will be no more!

Until that glorious reunion, we can support each other on our journey. "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up." - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10. Hope and healing can be found when grief is shared. There is a national ministry addressing this need called GriefShare. If you are struggling, reach out to others who are walking through this valley as well, either online or in person by visiting https://www.griefshare.org. There is most likely a group meeting near you that would welcome you eagerly. If you are in the Pleasant Hill, MO area, our church will be starting one in March. Be praying for this much-needed ministry!
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May the Joy of the Lord be our strength,
Phil and Pam

(In case you were wondering, this is not an advertisement for GriefShare, nor do we represent them. When we see a ministry doing a good and needed job, we like to pass it on!)

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