In
our culture it seems trials are a badge of honor, something to overcome, to
show our inner strength. We love to share what we have been through, what we
have overcome. As Christians we speak of how the Lord brought us through tough
circumstances and we have seen hope on the other side—the check was in the
mail, the surgery went well, the cancer is gone. In these circumstances we
rejoice we thank the Lord for his provision and we should—He is faithful. When death comes along and takes away someone
we love it becomes difficult to see the other side of our trial, we can’t see a
way for God to provide. Death is so final—so permanent. The ones we love are gone forever. Even if we do move on with our
lives, there will always someone missing-- always.
When in comes to miscarriage our culture seems to think
that another baby will heal the pain, will solve the problem so to speak. Sure
conceiving after loss is a blessing, a wonderful blessing but the truth is each
baby is irreplaceable, a part of your family that will never be in any
photograph. Even if you go on to conceive again, it will not change the fact
that you miss whom you have lost. They had a life all their own, however short
but complete.
How then do we overcome these trials, how do we become
stronger because we have lost someone we love so dearly? It does not seem like
a good trade off to me. I do not want the ability to endure losing a child—I
want my child.
I
will mourn my son until the day I die. My mother died over 20 years ago and I
still feel the sting, still feel the loss. If I buy into the idea that through
these losses I am simply a stronger better person, I have missed something.
The only lasting healing and strength from loss is from
Jesus Christ.
You may think now
that I am beginning to repeat myself—and I am, but I am in good company I
suppose because Paul in the epistles reminds us over and over again to look to
Christ to remind us of His gracious gospel.
If you have put your trust in the Lord, drawing near to
him, he can give you the correct perspective of loss. He can grow you in grace
and knowledge of Him. He can change your view of forever and always. Your soul can rest in knowing that although we may feel
the sting and pain of death for the rest of this life, because Jesus went to
the cross and took the penalty that we deserved we can have hope in eternity
and eternity is much longer than we can even imagine.
“In him we have redemption through his
blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the
mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as
a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven
and things on earth.” (Ephesians 1:7)
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