From the Pastor’s Heart
Grieving
I’m surely not the most qualified person to write about this subject. But as I thought about grieving, it occurred to me that it is something known and experienced by everyone. Grief is no respecter of persons, and if you can read these words, I am sure you’ve experienced grief in some way. We often associate grief with a death or some major catastrophe, but grief comes to us in many ways. I remember when I was suddenly evicted from Belarus. It was a very difficult time for me and also for my family. I hurriedly got our things together, as I was given just a short time to get out of the country. It was all a blur. It was difficult to say good bye. Would I ever see these dear people again? I boarded the plane and took off for Chicago. During the almost nine-hour flight I shed many a tear. I was not ashamed and I didn’t care who saw me. I was grieving. Maybe you’ve experienced grief to a far greater degree than that or somehow you can relate to my experience. Maybe you’ve lost a job or had to move or a dream was shattered or a loved one passed away; if so, you need to grieve. It’s not self-pity to grieve. It’s also not a time to become bitter. It’s a time to grieve and to let go of something valuable to you that is lost and cannot be recovered. It is okay to sit down and weep. But somewhere along that path, remind yourself of God’s great love and mercy. For it may be a time when there seem to be more questions than answers. But all is not lost, and God is not confused. Comfort yourself with assurances that God’s plans, His ways and will are sometimes beyond our understanding or knowing. And even despite that, know that God cares for every aspect of your life. Are you experiencing grief? Have you experienced loss? Did you allow yourself to grieve? I leave you with these great verses from Romans 8:37-39, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.”
Pastor Tim
"Remember it was amateurs that built the Ark
and professionals that built the Titanic."
Author unknown
|