Good morning…
Now is about the time when those grieving the loss of our friend Julie are tempted to slip into deep despair. This situation will never change. She is never coming back to us. The high of celebrating her life has dropped down into the relentless ache of physically missing her.
One friend who lost her brother way too early sent me a text the day before Julie’s memorial service. “Hey just wanted you to know I’ve really been thinking about you this week. I’m so very sorry about your the loss of your friend Julie. There are no words to make you “feel better.” I know. But I did want you to know that you’ve been in my thoughts and prayers. Love you friend.”
I texted back. “Thank you so much. You know the shock of losing a loved one young and suddenly. I did not see Julie every day, but her husband, her boys, her parents did. Their missing is the most heartbreaking.”
She replied. “It’s the unimaginable. One friend who lost his son suddenly said the best thing one time when we were talking about people losing someone abruptly. He said ‘What you need to pray for is that the pain and grief that surpasses all understanding would give way to the peace that surpasses all understanding.’ So I will pray that for her family this morning.”
As we grieve with God, we live more fully into Philippians 4:6-7 in the Amplified Bible: Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].
It is a wise, wise prayer: “God, please transform our unsurpassable pain and grief into the peace that surpasses all understanding.”
..Sue…
