Comfort During Times of Loss

Whenever people close to me and my family pass away I inevitably wonder about their eternal situation. Lori had an aunt pass away today and she is filled with mixed emotions. She feels sad for her mother, since her aunt was close to her, but she also feels joy for her aunt because she has proclaimed for many years to know Jesus.

I also wonder sometimes if people can hold on to life for a little while longer until the one's they love are around them. Lori's cousin is a pastor and he rushed to see his mother this afternoon. It was as if she was lying in her bed awaiting his arrival. After a few minutes of them embracing and praying together she took her last breath. As if to say, "It is well now."

I think the most difficult part of death is finding the right words to say to those in mourning, especially when the one who died doesn't proclaim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I learned a long time ago that sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all.

In the second chapter of Job, his news of great suffering spread around until it reached his closest friends. They traveled from afar to see him and to be with him.

Job 2:12-13 When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky. Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.



They spent seven days and nights and never said a word to him. Friends taking the time to just sit quite and comfort, pray for, and weep with their friend. How many times do we feel the need to toss out a scripture reference or a funny remark to lighten the mood when the spirit inside of us is just saying to be still and say nothing?

The writer of Romans tells us that eternal life is a gift from God given to us freely in Christ Jesus. Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. I know that everyone isn't going to receive this free gift and it boggles my mind. Eternal life for me is the hope that keeps me going each day when the wheels eventually fall off the cart. Spending eternity with a loving, caring, magnificent God is the most awesome gift we could ever receive.

Therefore, while I am here on earth, I can give a little bit of Jesus to those around me when they are going through times of loss and grief. I have Him inside of me so I can comfort those with His love and compassion.

2Co 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

I encourage you today to turn to Him for your eternal security and human comfort.

Lord, thank you for the example of Job's friends to me. Help me to be a comfort to other's by allowing your love to flow through me in times of need. You have provided me with all of my desires and I praise you today for the gift of eternal life. Thank you Lord for allowing me to know you.