Image by Benedicto de Jesus on Unsplash
MAKE disciples. That was Jesus’
final command. Our first task, however, is to allow the Holy Spirit to make a
disciple of us. Grief is pivotal along that journey.
Grief often brings people to belief. A crisis causes us to reflect on the important
things in life, besides, when we fall vulnerable to that which we simply cannot
reconcile, all that’s left is God. Loss shrouds us in that place where nothing
else works. See how the worst can elicit the best?
Grief makes belief better. It forces us to test everything. Whatever belief we had will
need to endure the flame of deep pain to survive and continue being held as our
belief. In this way, for belief to survive it must help us thrive through our
darkest day. Belief that survives is full of real hope.
Grief makes responding in faith better. Having done wrong, the only way we please God
is by experiencing godly sorrow. Through confession and repentance, we have
applied grieving. And only through such processes of going deeply into God do
we and others see the fruit of our repentance — a true faith that obeys and
honours God through loving people. Grief refines honesty and humility.
Grief is an example to follow. Making disciples is our aim, and we can use words, but far more
powerful and sustainable is the salience of example. Iron sharpens iron, as
Proverbs 27:17 puts it, and this is not about word as much as it is about the
witness of deed, the impression of action. When we prove our faith by grieving
well, those who are following behind, even those who are perhaps ahead, stop
and take notice. Example is not easy to ignore, but words go in one ear and out
the other.
Grief is a teacher and loss is the curriculum. The school is one that educates in what is
eternally valuable. It is a hard school with many who fail to run the course.
The school of brokenness, however, will improve us more than any other
institution or program. Now we can see how becoming a follower of Jesus is
all-encompassing of life, where life is the learning ground.
Loss either pulls us close to God or pushes us away, but God uses grief
to bring us closer to Him.
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