Don't Waste Chase's Life # 5

We Will Waste Chase's Life If We Grieve as Those Who Have No Hope.

Deep, intense grief is no respector of persons; man or woman, rich or poor, young or old - there is no difference. All one has to do is live long enough and they will encounter intense grief of some kind.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). James Bruce in his book From Grief to Glory writes, "What lies beyond the cemetery is the valley of weeping. Even before we leave our loved one's grave we have begun that journey into this valley." All of us will find ourselves in this valley at some time in our lives. But what will divide all in this valley will be those who grieve with hope and those who do not.

The Bible says "rejoice always" and "give thanks in all circumstances." How can one rejoice or give thanks amidst unspeakable sorrow? How in the world can joy and hope mix with pain and suffering? In the beautiful wisdom of God grief and hope can coexist with one another and indeed do.

There really is a "peace that surpasses all understanding" and grace to "rejoice always." God has given His children "not a spirit of fear, but of love, discipline and self-control." They mix because we as Christians can believe by grace that God does "cause all things to work out for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose." We must believe that God "will never turn away from doing us good, but will rejoice in doing us good with all of His heart and soul." We must believe that "The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” (1 Thess 4.16-17)

When tragedy and grief visit our homes we as Christians have an opportunity to shine forth the beauty of Christ and the power of the gospel. For those who are without God and without hope in this world denial, escapism, and busyness are the ways to cope with pain. The pain feels overwhelming and God seems invisible, non-existent, or the enemy who has now taken something good from us. So in an effort to cope or “get through it” distraction is king. People saturate their minds with entertainment, or fill their stomachs with booze and mind numbing medicine. They know of no other alternative and Christians have an awesome opportunity to point to Christ who offers them rest and peace.

Suffering, pain, grief, and hardship are designed to lead us to someone. It is designed to lead us to Christ. Jesus Christ and what He accomplished in dying with our sins on his back make it possible for us to have hope in the midst of unspeakable pain and sorrow. We can have hope because Christ exhausted the wrath of God on our behalf. We can have hope because Christ bore our sins and purchased forgiveness for those that would trust in Him. We can have hope because Christ has provided a perfect righteousness that is ours in Him. We can have hope because Christ has purchased perfect and final healing. We can have hope because Christ and only Christ has conquered death. We can have hope because Christ has defeated Satan. We can have hope because Christ has died so that those who trust in Him would be brought into the presence of God. Jesus Christ is the most awesome reality that has ever and will ever be. He purchased and accomplished all of these things and He did it through massive suffering. So hear the Savior say to us who suffer and grieve “come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” For “you do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with your weaknesses, but one who was tempted yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near to the throne of grace so that we might find help and grace in our time of need.” We can have hope in the midst of pain, but we can have hope because of and only because of Christ and what He has done. All of our pain, suffering, sin and stupidity will all be overruled for Christ’s glory and our good. And it is this knowledge of redemptions far reach that is meant to fill our hearts and minds with hope that cannot be crushed.