Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
How to Experience Comfort in a Time of Loss
(Christianity and the World lost a true Ambassador for Christ this week as Ravi Zacharius entered into Glory and was welcomed home by Jesus. This spurred my thinking regarding how we deal with loss)
When loss is experienced in one’s life, there is a flood of emotions that come and visit. Hurt, Anger, Fear, Loneliness, Discouragement, Grief and much more come barging down the door of our heart. We become overwhelmed with tears or tempted to withdraw from this world all together. How can one find comfort in a moment of grief? How can one expect to move on when they have lost so much?
It is okay to grieve, and cry, and feel the rollercoaster of emotional loss. Human Beings are wired that way. But these emotions can become a danger, if we dwell and live there instead of grow through them. In my experience of loss, there are at least five ways I discover comfort and hope in the discord of pain, suffering and grief.
Remember the Good Memories You Shared
At memorial services and funerals, there is often a time in the service to reflect upon the loved one’s life. Many times family members or friends will tell of a story or two about the deceased. This story usually highlights the person's excellent character or loving memory that the storyteller and loved one shared. This act of remembering brings comfort.
Remember the valuable lessons you learned
When we lose someone we love, we long for more time to have had with the individual we lost. We have a new awareness of appreciating and valuing the moments we had spent with them. We can remember the conversations and the lessons we learned from being with them, either watching or listening to them. Those memories help build character and bring comfort. I have passed on “nuggets” of wisdom my parents (both deceased) told me to my children, time and time again. I remember when they first taught me a life lesson, such as my Dad teaching me to drive and not get angry and other drivers were not as patient with me driving as my Dad was. “Let them go,” he would say to me, “focus on your driving, not them!” Four words he would say, “They’re not worth it!” I’ve said that countless times when riding with my adult children as they drive, especially when they get tense or stressed by other drivers. Many other,” Lessons our loved ones taught us. When we value what they say, we allow their lives to speak to us and that brings comfort.
Rely on Your Faith to view the Eternal
What I mean by this statement is, depend upon your faith and belief in God to see eternity. There is a Heaven and a Hell. There is a day that every individual will die. When that day comes, Heaven or Hell will be their eternal destination. In Luke 15, Jesus tells the story of a rich man and Lazarus, a beggar. In this story, he highlights Heaven and Hell. The Apostle Paul stated in Ephesians 2:5-7,
“5 We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by God’s grace.) 6 Yes, it is because we are a part of Christ Jesus that God raised us from death and seated us together with him in the heavenly places. 7 God did this so that his kindness to us who belong to Christ Jesus would clearly show for all time to come the amazing richness of his grace.” (ERV)
These verses tell of the promised reality that those who believe in Jesus Christ are seated with him in the heavenly places. Viewing Eternity re-aligns one’s perspective and brings comfort.
Rely on Scripture to Inspire Hope
If you believe in God through Christ, you can understand and value the importance of Scripture. God’s Word gives and inspires hope. As you make yourself aware of God’s written Word, apply it, meditate on it, praying it — God will build His character in you! He will give you hope when there seems to be no hope. His word will fortify and strengthen you, even in your loss. Think of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4,
“3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Father who is full of mercy, the God of all comfort. 4 He comforts us every time we have trouble so that when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us.” (ERV)
God can give you the ability to comfort others through the experiences you have gone through! His Spirit in you comforts you so you can comfort others! This brings hope. Knowing God brings hope and comfort!
Rely on the Sovereignty of God
This is where faith meets reality! I believe in Jesus Christ therefore I rely on God the Father’s Sovereignty. That means God is in control! He knows all, I must trust and rely on His perfect will being accomplished for my loved one. I must trust His timing. As my brother’s mother-in-law, used to say, “God is never late or early He is always on time.” God is the Creator, Sovereign, Holy, Just and Loving God. I can trust Him. He knows what is best. He is at work in the world today, regardless if men acknowledge Him or not. The best option is to acknowledge Him and trust in Him and believe in Him. If you do, He gives eternal life, citizenship in Heaven, living in His presence forever. No more tears or pain, but joy.
Becoming a child of God begins with faith in Christ, believing in Him. This brings the gift of eternal life and entrance into Heaven for the child of God. God has rescues those who trust in Him from the kingdom of darkness (Hell) and brings them into the Kingdom of Light (Colossians 1:13).
When I think of the loved ones that I have lost, I remember the quality times we had. I remember the lessons they taught me. I rely on my faith in Christ to see Eternity. I rely on the promises of God’s Word. I trust in God’s Sovereignty - He is in control. This brings comfort during grief and helps me to grow in God’s grace and comfort others.
How about you? How do you deal with grief? If you are experiencing hurt or loss, I would be happy to pray for you. Please see how to contact me, and I will respond. Thanks for reading.
Growing together,
Teddy
2 Timothy 1:7