Our Journey Through Loss class finished last Thursday. The class finished; unfortunately, the mourning did not. A new class will most likely begin in the fall with the school year. In the meantime, the pain in the hearts of those who attended will still be there. Hopefully, this class helped by teaching us a few things about pain, grief, and mourning.
If someone were to ask me what my most precious ministry would be, it would be with the dying and grieving. There is a special place in my heart for those who experience loss. I loved my hospice ministry with the dying. I love supporting those who are left behind and must make a journey no one wants to make.
I think as a culture we are not very good at understanding grief and mourning. As a church, we haven’t been much better. I remember how often I heard people quote 1 Thessalonians 4:13 as a reprimand at someone who showed signs of grief after loss.
“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.” [HCSB]
This verse has often been misquoted as “we do not grieve,” with the “like the rest who have no hope” part left out. Yes, we do not grieve like the rest, but we do grieve. We grieve like those who have hope! We have a hope that when we die, we will join those who have already gone into the presence of the LORD. And if the LORD returns before that happens, well, that’s going to be an amazing in-the-clouds reunion.
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” [1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 HCSB]
