I haven’t had much chance to finish my rough drafts in the last week. My husband’s grandfather passed away last night after being sick for a while. He had cancer and was in remission but it came back and took his body quickly. My husband was very close to him when he was younger and my son spent a few hours every weekend over there so he will be missed.

When we received the news last night as we were laying down my immediate thoughts were, how was his mom doing, if she was by herself? How were we going to tell my son? And how would my husband handle it since it is the first person to die that he was close with? Then came the flashbacks to my father’s passing as I had an idea of how my mother-in-law was feeling. My heart broke in two.

A relationship between a father and daughter is typically a very special one. No matter how old they are it is still devastating to lose them and leaves a gaping hole in your heart. Really for most, it is the loss of any parent. Mine just happened to especially be my father. Then of course came the racing thoughts all night that allowed sleep to escape me. He wasn’t even my grandfather but it seems to be how I grieve all deaths.

I began praying and soon found even that was difficult to concentrate on. So, I prayed for his soul and imagined what he was waking up to. Possibly a restored body? Jesus’ face? Reuniting with loved ones? No one knows for sure but I know it will be glorious. And at some point, I drifted off to sleep. And then in the morning, it hits you like a ton of bricks all over again. I haven’t cried yet but it will happen eventually.

God will not abandon you at this time. If anything His presence will be more than ever, it is just difficult to recognize when you’re spiraling down this endless darkness. The gut and heartwrenching pain that comes with having someone you love here one day and gone the next never to be talked to in this world again. One of the most difficult things in life is to hold yourself together when your world is falling apart.

While doing my bible study this morning I came across my book entitled ‘Daily Truth’ which has a section about grief. I purchased it from The Daily Grace Co. If you haven’t heard of them they have some pretty great tools to use in your learning journey. Here it says, “Grief can be a frightening and lonely experience. Praise God that He doesn’t leave us to suffer in our grief alone. Instead, He provides us with hope. He gives us healing. He promises us the restoration of all things. There may not be a shortcut to experiencing freedom from grief, but we do know who holds the prescription: Jesus Christ. God grants us healing and peace. God gives us hope.”

Grief is the loneliest experience and it is completely normal to feel this way. No one shares in it the same way. Everyone deals with it differently. But God knows how to grieve with you. He knows what you need and when you need it. On those days when even opening your eyes feels like the most difficult thing you can do He is right there beside you. All you have to do is breathe. He will pull you out of the darkness and into the light. He will hold your hand as you take one step at a time out of bed. He will celebrate with you when you decide to eat. And it may feel like the hardest thing in the world but eventually, it will get a little easier. Rest assured in the knowledge our loved ones are being restored and loved in the best way possible. We should grieve with hope.

We should also do our best to reach out to our loved ones before it is too late to ensure they know Jesus to the best of our ability. I have so many regrets from not doing this out of fear. I now know this was the devil preventing me from potentially making a difference. I am going to do my best to not make that mistake again.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 states, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.”

Revelation 21:4 states, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Daily Truth – Men