Christmas is a time of year that we associate with gifts. I mean, other than Birthdays it's probably the only time of year we get gifts and give them. It's a time of year where we think about hope, peace, joy, love, and Jesus who came to bring that all. This year I was struck by something different than I was usually this season. Sure, I thought about all those things Christmas usually brings but something else happened that made me think of something new: grief.
On Thanksgiving Day, my family went to visit my grandmother at a rehabilitation facility where she was at for physical therapy. While there, across the hall, a man died. After leaving, my husband and I both said in an odd way it made us more thankful for what we had.
Later, toward the middle of December, a family friend who was a part of my parent’s church for as long as I can remember, suddenly died. It was a shock to everyone. And it made me think of how hard it was for me and my family, let alone his family, to deal with his passing.
Yes, Christmas and Thanksgiving are times we remember to be thankful, have joy, give gifts, and that Jesus came to be our Savior but sometimes it's hard for people to have those things and remember them. Grief is real and it's okay to have. Jesus even grieved over the loss of his friends. But it's also a time to remember the good. To remember the gift that life is. That God gives us this life so we can get to know him, grow in him, help others know about him, and help others grow in him.
This life has pain and sadness. This life isn't always easy. We have hurts and hang ups. But God is with us through it all. He sent Jesus so we could have hope in a future eternity with him. So, we could have peace in this life and the next. He came so we could have joy in knowing everything will be okay. That we can spread his love to others so they can have eternal life. Isn't that an amazing privilege and gift?
So, yes, grief can be a gift. It is a reminder that this world is filled with sorrow, but this world is not the end. We can rest in knowing that God is with us in Spirit here and one day we will be with him in heaven. Thank Jesus that he came as a baby, with the plan in place to eventually die as the perfect sacrifice for our sins, so we could be with him forever. He is the perfect Christmas gift
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