Last week, I wrote a blog, referencing Romans 8:26-27, not knowing how important that verse would be in the coming days, Today, we stand with family and friends facing their own tragedy. I realize through our weakness the Holy Spirit is groaning for us. The Holy Spirit is taking our cries and presenting them before the Lord as requests. In turn, God gives us exactly what we need. For that, I am thankful.
I have had some wordless groans the last few days as we mourn their loss. I have heard the wails of a mother, a father, family and friends as we grieve alongside them. I am confident God hears our prayers, even our wordless cries.
What I realize is when one of us suffers, we all suffer. We ache for our friends in pain. We want to help them, to fix it or make it all better. But, nothing we do will make it go away. So, as Christians, what can we do?
- We can be present. See and feel their pain. Our presence is the only gift we have to offer.
- Pray for them and pray with them.
- Give them hope; hope in God’s amazing grace, hope in a God of love, hope to go on and hope in heaven. Billy Graham said, “For the believer there is hope beyond the grave, because Jesus Christ has opened the door to heaven for us by His death and resurrection.”
The other day, I heard a chaplain say, “the great thing about God is that the door is always open.” It’s a mystery really, how God’s love pours out into every part of our lives. God is here. Even in the midst of all this pain. God is with us, when we don’t even know it. God is the one carrying us through our hardest, darkest days. God did not cause this terrible tragedy but God will work through it in ways we cannot imagine.
As we continue to walk with this family, I see God everywhere. From the firemen who grant each request, to the tearful embraces of neighbors and co-workers, God is here. It is as if, with every chocolate chip cookie, baked spaghetti and box of fried chicken that arrives, God’s love walks through the door. As we share our memories with one another a strange comfort emerges. In the midst of all this grief, we find love, we find God and we find healing.
The Message says it like this, “If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing.” We have somehow been a part of the healing, even though we are just at the beginning of it. I have experienced it myself. We can continue to be a part of it. In the coming days, weeks and months, we can be there, standing with them in their pain. With cards, calls, and visits, we bring them comfort. We can pray for them and with them. We can continue to be hope for them; hope in God’s amazing grace, hope in a God of love, hope to go on and hope of heaven.
Let us pray: Dear Lord, when words cannot express the pain we are feel, comfort us. When we think we cannot go on, carry us. Make us aware of your overwhelming love. Thank you that the door is always open. And that your grace is enough for us all. In Jesus Name, Amen. -M
3 thoughts on “When one of us suffers, we all suffer”
“Be still, and know that I am God.” Melissa, you words really stand strong. Love you, and God working through you.
Melissa, this is such a deep and full post, full of pain and full of love and full of hope. Thank you for bearing witness to this unfolding experience and standing, and sitting, patiently in and with kindness and pain and love.
Melissa, I heard a sermon this morning about family, church family, and how we reach out to each other no matter the pain and grief we shoulder with each other. It very much expressed, perhaps not as deeply, your words here. I think of how Jesus took all our grief, sickness, and afflictions on the cross to make a way for us to be free from them, and by His stripes we are healed. It is impossible for an unbeliever to understand death has no sting, the grave has no victory. As believers we walk along side our family and become Christ in their time of weakness. I am so thankful you are Christ to those suffering loss at this time, and my prayers are with you also.