I had a friend from politics whose teen son was killed in a house fire on Christmas eve years ago. (Spending nite w/friend: boys trapped upstairs)
He said that, although it was very hard for him to relate to his wife’s grief, he too, grieved deeply, but very differently.
As a Christian father, his main goal was to prepare his kids for ETERNITY: to make sure they had a good relationship with Jesus. He had done that, and so the “sting of death” was mitigated somewhat by the “mission accomplished” satisfaction of knowing he had succeeded in his mission. That may sound callous to some, but it’s actually not. It’s just a very different kind of grief! We grieve not as those who have no hope!
His wife, on the other hand, had carried that child in her womb. HE WAS A PART OF HER BODY, MIND, SOUL AND SPIRIT! That hole could never be filled! It is a deep, abiding wound that, even with the comfort and peace of the Holy Spirit, never fills or completely heals.
Research has shown that there are mysterious cells in a mom’s body that rush to fight every attack on her body. Those cells are from the children who have inhabited her womb, whether born or unborn. Wow! (I’ll attach link for those of you who think that’s crazy! I did at first!)
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1UQanzWjV7/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Life is SHORT! ETERNITY IS LONG! PREPARE FOR IT WELL!
Comfort those who mourn. Sit with them. Talk with them. Laugh with them. Check on their physical and mental and emotional health a few weeks after the “hype” of the funeral is over. Once the quiet reality sets in, they need you more than ever! They don’t need platitudes; they need to be surrounded by people who love them, even when they “want to be left alone.” There’s plenty of alone time already! Help fill that in ways that help that individual’s needs. Not intrusive, but inclusive.
May the Grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ fill your hearts and homes with Jesus Joy in the midst of the sorrow!
Wynne Loveless Writes 