Finding Hope in the Face of Death

Over the past couple of weeks, I feel like death has been a common theme for the people around me. Whether it is someone who has recently passed away or someone's anniversary of their death. Let's just remind ourselves: Death is HARD. Always. Every time. No matter what. I was reminded of that as I visited my Uncle Terry's grave this past week with my family. It's been almost 10 years and it still hurts. Sometimes it still doesn't seem any easier now than the very day they lost him.

What makes me the saddest about death is that so many times, we don't remember Jesus and the hope we can cling to in Him. Instead, we are inclined to cling to our sadness and our anger and our memories, which then just start the cycle all over again.

I hear so many times when someone is trying to comfort a loved one who's just lost someone that they'll "see them again in Heaven some day, so just hold tight to that hope". Friends, that's not the hope I want. My hope in Heaven doesn't have a single thing to do with the people I'm going to be reunited with.

It has everything to do with the Savior I'm going to see face to face.
THAT'S the joy.
THAT'S the hope.

So many times, I try to put myself in the shoes of friends grieving over someone's loss, and every time, I come up with the same answer. Jesus. If we are called as children of God to seek Him while on earth, then that means that every relationship we have somehow reflects God as well. Why? Because if God created all of us, then even at our very worst, we all still reflect God. Therefore, when we lose someone we care so very deeply about, yes it is going to hurt like hell. BUT. The joy we have is that if we have our faith in Jesus Christ, when we get to Heaven, we aren't going to even be thinking about the other people we missed on earth, because we will be with the one who embodies ALL of them. And then some.

If God is the goal, then He will be the outcome upon our death. And there is great joy in that. Great joy in knowing that no matter what kind of sacrifices we go through on earth, including losing those we care about (whether physically or just by distance), God is STILL the outcome. And because of that, my friends, the pain and hurt and sorrow and loneliness we feel now will be washed away by the very hand of the One who loves us most. Just keep clinging to the hope. Keep trusting that God is who He says He is.

And for those we know who are not believers, let this current time in our world be a reminder of how important it is to never stop sharing the joy and the hope we have in Jesus. If YOU can't imagine a life without Jesus, how do you think your friends who don't know Him handle the hardness of loss?

Without Christ, I am nothing.

With Christ, I have everything. Including the truth that death is not nearly as scary when we have Jesus as our hope.