A Moment With Pastor Fred

A friend heard the following at a funeral. “Grief never ends but it changes. It is a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness for a lack of faith: it is the price of love.”

As we approach the holidays and near the end of the year I’m reminded of those in our congregation who’ve lost loved ones. When a death occurs we reach out to the grieving but after the funeral we go back to our normal routines. This leaves sufferers feeling alone. Maybe we think we’re helping by not talking about the one who died but ignoring him/her doesn’t help. Somehow in the church we’ve been taught not to cry – after all our loved one is in heaven. True, but we’re still here. And death hurts. Jesus never chided the sisters of Lazarus for their tears – in fact, he himself wept with them. Grieving is permitted. True, the Apostle Paul reminds us our sorrow isn’t like those who have no hope. We’re to weep with those who weep. That means we must listen well. Ask about them, not just a week later but a month, a year, etc. Let them talk about it. Don’t be nervous with that. Let them cry – cry with them, Ja 1:27.

We as Americans rush things. Time to move on – get over it. That’s not God’s way. Time by itself does not heal a broken heart. I’m planning in mid-February to do a mini-series in the ABF hour on grief. Pray with me about that. We’re thankful death isn’t a period. It’s a comma. Death for the believer isn’t the end. Ps 30:5, Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.