Acquaintedنموونە

Jesus was God in the Flesh, who came to Earth with a great purpose: to make the Scriptures clear, to show us how to live them out, and to give us the free Gift of eternal life through the sacrifice of His blood, if we would just accept Him as Savior. He was not, nor is He now, indifferent. He felt the weight of human suffering greater than any known to any man on Earth (Isa. 53:3).

Jesus is our Comforter in times of trouble. He allows us to lean on Him for strength, having experienced the deepest pains of human existence. (John 14:26)

We can grieve anything with the Hope of Jesus. Christian grief & heartache is NOT without hope, because of the assurance of His resurrection and ultimate victory over death. (1 Thess 4:13)

Jesus validates our pain. He does not condemn us for sadness; rather, His example shows that mourning is a natural reaction to heartache and suffering. Jesus Himself wept at the tomb where his dear friend Lazarus lay for 4 days, dead (John 11:35). With Jesus as our Example, we see that it's completely ok to cry, to hurt, and to grieve a loss or a shock in life. And let's take that a step further... no one can decide how long your grief journey can/should/could take, either. It is different for each individual. I've seen it last a very long time for those who are not "IN Christ." I've seen it last a long time for people like me, who lose multiple family members in a short period of time, BUT GOD wants to assist you in that healing process of suffering. It has to be an intentional, daily choice to seek Him in order to receive His Comfort, His Peace, His Understanding, His loving embrace.

Jesus promised us that those who mourn are "blessed" because He WILL comfort us! (Matt 5:4) It's hard to imagine that mourning can bring blessing...until you have experienced the Peace of God that passes all understanding in the midst of your great trial. The Holy Spirit dispenses just enough for when we need it, too. We may not always "feel" Him at work, but we are assured that He IS at work, and for the believer, that has to be enough for the time being. (Eph 3:19-20)