I've never felt this kind of sorrow before. I've never had someone so young and so close to my family die before. I have noticed over the past few hours that different people mourn differently. For me, pain and weeping come in waves- when I think about the 10,000 things that are going to be so difficult for Scott in the coming weeks, months, years. I can't bear to think about it for long. Needless to say I haven't been much of a "rock" for others.
This has caused me to ask the question: "What does it mean to trust in the sovereign goodness of God during a tragedy like this?"
It doesn't mean that you will approach it with some kind of stoic emotionlessness. It doesn't mean that you won't be devastated and fall. It doesn't mean that you won't wonder "why?"
It does mean that even though your heart is breaking, and your emotions are haywire, you do have a resting place. It does mean that even though you are devastated, and even though you are crying your eyes out, and even though you fall, you fall on the Great Hope you have in Christ. He is our solace, so that's where we go WHEN we are devastated. It does mean that we may wonder "why?" but that we also trust when things don't seem to make sense. If nothing else it means we take God at His word when He says "All things work together for good, to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose." Notice, it does not say that all things are good, but that God works all things for good.
I may have already shared this, but it deserves a repeat. Our church has been hit with tragedy after tragedy for the last 3 years. If nothing was happening spiritually at our church we probably wouldn't be going through this, or it may be proper to say if we hadn't been hit by tragedies we wouldn't be making progress like we are in so many areas. True growth rarely happens in the rosy times. Don't get me wrong, I prefer rosy, but obviously God has other plans right now, and we should trust Him.
Resting in Christ,
Jonathan
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Sorrow
Posted by JB at 4:50 PM
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3 comments:
i can't even begin to imagine what one would feel like in this scenario--scott or friends/family of scott and jill. i don't even know this family, and my throat hurts from reading and crying, reading and crying, because, for all of us, it is the dreaded "worst case" scenario--the one we all start to talk about as a couple, then quickly change the subject because it's too horrible to imagine. no one should have to experience it. i, along with many others, will be exponentially more thankful and prayerful tonight. how fragile life is.
Dear friend, I don't think you fully understand what a "rock" this blog is to our family right now. You have been the difference that has kept us from isolation during this. The Bible isn't kidding when it says we should weep with each other. It's just like we are sitting in your living room with your family holding each other during this. Please tell Emily how much I love her and long to embrace her again. SO much love... -The Johnsons
Jenni,
We love you guys and I'm privileged to be able to serve ya'll.
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