Session 6

How grieving leads to hope

From 1 Thessalonians: A 7-Day Devotional

Losing a loved one who followed Jesus is never easy. Trying to grieve their death while hearing people tell you that you shouldn’t be sad because they are in heaven is painful. They may be in a better place, but we have to deal with the hurt that they are not here. How can we have a reason to hope when the tragedy leads us to believe all hope is lost?

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 the people were wondering why many Christians were dying and what would happen to them when Jesus returns. Paul wrote to encourage them that death is not the end of the story, and to challenge them to comfort one another when loved ones die.

As Christians, the separation from a loved one at their death is only temporary because only in Jesus is there life after death. When Jesus returns, all believers, dead and alive, will be reunited never to suffer or die again (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Death may cause us grief, but it cannot break our unity with Jesus or with other Christians.

We all face tragedies in our lives that cause us to grieve the loss of loved ones, but God will always turn our tragedies into triumphs. Jesus welcomes our sadness and our grief, and it’s through grieving with hope that we can push through and continue to believe that the best is yet to come.

Reflect:

• Do you need to give your life to Jesus so that your eternity will be secure? Or, is there someone you need to share Jesus with?
• Who do you know who is going through a tragedy right now? What is one way you can help that person in their sadness?

If you are in the middle of a tragedy and struggling to find hope, we would love to talk and pray with you. Let us know how we can help or stop by the Care Room at your campus on Sunday.