DEATH IS A LIE

There is no time limit set to Grief.

It's been a number of years now since I first lost my Mother to a terminal illness. I say a number, because I haven't counted the years. I don't really know how long it's been in reality, but it feels as though it's been an eternity without her in my heart. I'm sure many of you who have experienced the devastation of losing someone you love very much, know all too well what I mean by saying that. One doesn't keep track of the days. There is just something.... off, in your life. Most of us can function very well and cope quite well with loss, which I believe is a testament to the Power of God's Grace. There can be no other explanation for how much the human heart can bare such pain and still be able to live a hope-filled life where we still have expectations and dreams. You would think an earth shattering event such as death would cause us to lose all hope in everything. But the fact that death does not have that affect on us is proof positive that within us is written the Truth that we do not truly die. Within our genetic code is the certainty that Jesus conquered death. Now whether we accept this Truth as our reality or not, regardless, somehow we know that death doesn't mean gone forever. Somehow.....we know that there is more. Even for non-Christians, they too....instinctively accept immortality as something quite plausible. Abraham Lincoln once said "Eternity is written on the hearts of man." What I believe he meant by that is that the hope for Immortality, the desire to live forever, was purposefully given to us by our Creator because He wanted us to know that we indeed will live forever.

Knowing this.... does it make the sting of death go away entirely? No. Of course not; you had your world turned upside down and your heart broken into a million tiny pieces. Pieces that Jesus to this day is still mending together. More than likely, until we meet our loved one again in Heaven, we won't be completely whole. But what we can do, during our time of grief; is we can let God continue to heal us, and allow His grace to withstand what we cannot, when we can no longer bare to. We can continue to be patient with our grief. Make allowance for as many tears as need to be shed when we feel we need to. God understands.... He knows the effect that death has on the heart. Jesus wept over Lazarus' death....and this is Jesus, who is God, and the Word in flesh; He FULLY understood that Lazarus' wasn't going to die that day.  And yet still....it hurt Him. It hurt Him to see the way it hurt us. I don't know about you but it blesses my soul to worship a God who knows what it feels to be human... Who understands every moment, however hard or painful. And it's an honor to lay my burdens down at the feet of One who has walked through dark times Himself, and overcome them. To know that I have a Father who completely and totally understands exactly what I am in enduring in every moment, makes my life, and all that I experience in it, whether good or bad, worth something. It gives me purpose. I may never know why my Mother had to go when she did and I will continue to miss her for the remainder of my life here but what I do know is that she is not gone forever.

That was the final gift Jesus gave us, among the many gifts He bestowed by His sacrifice..... He made death a lie, and for that I am forever grateful. If you're out there right now, and you're hurting immensely from a loss; I know that Heaven, as wonderful and amazing a Truth as it is, it may seem a small ray of hope during the darkest hours of your life at this time. But Heaven is indeed a Truth that will continue to provides us peace throughout our grief when we accept it. It doesn't mean you won't miss the one you loved, or that you'll never shed another tear, it just means that you understand that God is with you through it all. He'll never leave you nor forsake you. Not ever.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” - Jesus (John 14:1-4)

“You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in Me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in Me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?” - Jesus (John 11:25-26 MSG)

I pray this is of some comfort to you all during your loss, past or present, and my own still. His Grace is sufficient and will carry you when you cannot yourself. You are loved and not forgotten, God knows..... And if you didn't know it already; "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18)

- Brianna Carey ©