Thank God for relationships
How grateful we are for God allowing us to live life inside relationships. Friends, family, and various relationships all help make up the fabric of human life and living. Each time one of these special people die you experience the sting of death, even though ultimately, death is defeated for the Christian. As you think back and reflect, praise God for the gift of relationships. What a privilege that God allows us to make memories, love together, walk together, laugh together, and experience forgiveness together. In all these things, we can rejoice.
Thank God for His plan
Life has many seasons. It would be overwhelming to try to understand both how those seasons fit together and to think we were responsible for the sequence of those seasons. When a friend dies, we move through a season change. It is impossible to know the depth, variables, or weight of a new season; however we can be grateful that God orders the seasons. We recognize during the uncertainty and reality of change that we can trust God’s character and work. We can bring Him glory in the midst of His plan for our lives. God grants you the grace to endure, experience victory, and bring Him glory. He has not placed more on you in this new season than He can handle through you by His grace. God’s grace in you is up to this challenge.
Thank God for Jesus Christ
Of all the things we can be grateful for in the midst of loss, there is none greater than the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus willingly came, lived, died, and now is resurrected – not only for our friends but us as well. What a sobering joy to reflect on the ultimate death of our Friend, Jesus Christ, Who in his death provided a means of eternal life for each of us. Although our loss is real, significant, and possibly even breathtaking, we receive comfort in the fact that Jesus has walked this path, made a way forward before us, and continues to walk with us now. Through Christ and the power of the Spirit, you have strength to get through this loss.
Consider your life and testimony
In this moment of loss, here are a few helpful questions to ponder over time personally as well. Not today, but as you have time, take a few moments to let your loss help you live a more honorable life for Jesus Christ. Consider how you lived. Did your life and testimony match the glories of the Gospel to this friend? Did you live consistent with the Gospel? Did your friend benefit from your communion with God? Did you share the glorious hope of the Gospel for eternal life with your friend? Did you reflect God’s grace in forgiveness, joy in suffering, and willingness to suffer long with your friend? Did you encourage creatively through loving deeds, helpful words, and exhortation? These are just a few questions of many you can ponder.
The reality is this: only Jesus is the perfect friend. The one you’ve lost was not perfect, nor were you the perfect friend. But what amazing kindness we experience in Christ that allows us to move forward in and by His grace. For those of us who live, we can become even better friends by God’s grace to those around us. We can learn from past mistakes. We can rejoice in the places where we got it right by grace as well. In this new season, the past does not define us, nor does it determine the way we face the challenges and opportunities before us. Jesus helps us live.
God bless you and comfort you by His grace.
Pastor Kevin’s Blog | Walking together through life as friends in Christ sharing wisdom along the journey