I’m writing this the day after Thanksgiving, and I spent the morning at the hospital with a family that is precious to me.
The patriarch of that family is likely going to see Jesus face to face today.
I also attended a funeral last week for my cousin, Ed, who was a precious brother to me.
These men will be truly missed.
My mind is drawn to Paul’s words that as believers we do not mourn like those who have no hope.
For the believer, the day that we graduate to glory is the best day of our lives for it is the day we enter life in its fullness.
For those left behind, letting them go on to glory before us is hard.
It takes real agape love to let them go.
Agape love puts their best interests ahead of our own.
In our selfishness, we want them with us, but agape reins that in and says, “No, I love you enough to put your needs ahead of mine, and I choose to let you be with Jesus.”
Beloved, that can be so hard to do especially for a beloved spouse or child.
In the grieving process, it is so important to let the waves of grief hit, feel the loss, and engage the Lord in prayer.
We need to purposefully thank the Lord for the time that we had with our loved one.
That’s where Thanksgiving comes into the picture.
Then, we need to hand our grief and sorrow to the Lord who is the only One who can carry it.
If we take in the grief and bury it in our subconscious, it will fester and prolong the recovery process.
Beloved, hear me, you will never forget your loved one nor will you stop missing them.
What needs healing is the wound created in our souls when their tie to us is cut and they are no longer ‘with’ us.
The loss of their presence is profound and the adjustment is hard.
Focusing on their gain and blessing them helps us to move forward through the grief stages.
My Dad has been in heaven for 6 years and my mom has been there almost 2 years.
I miss them both, but I don’t wish they were still here.
I am happy that they are so very happy in heaven with Jesus and my brother and now my cousin.
They are having a blast.
I miss their presence, but I have a hope in Jesus.
It is the hope that soon and very soon I will see them again.
They will be young and vibrant… so will I for that matter.
Beloved, it’s been a hard 2 years for all of us.
Many have lost loved ones.
Press into the Lord for healing.
Take courage!
We will see them again… soon and very soon!
Blessings!
Robyn Henning