Grieving with Hope: Finding Comfort in Loss

 

Summary

In times of loss, especially when a Christian passes away, we find ourselves grappling with a unique kind of grief. This grief is not for the departed, who are now in a place of eternal joy and peace, but for ourselves, as we miss their presence in our lives. The Bible assures us that we have a hope that transcends our sorrow. When my son Matthew passed away, I found myself grieving not his death, but the pain he endured during his life. Now, he is free from fear, pain, and depression, and all his questions have been answered. He is in a place of joy and understanding, and for that, I do not grieve. Instead, I grieve because I miss him deeply.

As Christians, we grieve differently from the rest of the world. Our grief is infused with hope, a hope that is rooted in the promises of God. Revelation 21:4 tells us that God will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain. This promise gives us the strength to face the world's suffering, whether it be in poverty-stricken areas or in the inner cities where people are abused and misused. We hold onto the hope that one day, God will settle all scores, balance all accounts, and bring an end to all suffering.

This hope is what sustains us and allows us to look forward to a future where the old order of things has passed away. It is a hope that comforts us in our mourning, as Jesus promised in the Beatitudes. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. This comfort is not just a temporary relief but a profound assurance that our grief is not in vain and that we will be reunited with our loved ones in a place where there is no more pain or sorrow.

Key Takeaways:

- Grieving with hope means understanding that our sorrow is for our loss, not for the departed who are in eternal peace. This perspective shifts our focus from despair to gratitude for the hope we have in Christ. [00:25]

- The pain of losing a loved one is compounded by the suffering they endured in life. Yet, knowing they are now free from that suffering brings a unique comfort and peace. [00:45]

- Our hope as Christians is anchored in the promise of Revelation 21:4, where God will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death or pain. This hope empowers us to face the world's suffering with courage and compassion. [01:53]

- The promise of a future without suffering allows us to engage with the world's pain without being overwhelmed by it. We can work towards justice and healing, knowing that God will ultimately restore all things. [02:30]

- Jesus' promise that those who mourn will be comforted assures us that our grief is not without purpose. It is a journey towards healing and a deeper understanding of God's eternal plan. [03:01]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:14] - Grieving with Hope
[00:25] - Missing Our Loved Ones
[00:45] - Matthew's Freedom from Pain
[01:03] - Questions Answered in Heaven
[01:17] - The Nature of Christian Grief
[01:35] - Hope in Revelation 21:4
[01:53] - God's Promise of No More Pain
[02:13] - Facing Worldly Suffering
[02:30] - God's Ultimate Restoration
[02:45] - The Six Hopes
[03:01] - Comfort for Those Who Mourn

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Revelation 21:4
- Matthew 5:4

Observation Questions:
1. According to Revelation 21:4, what are the things that will no longer exist in the new order of things?
2. How does the sermon describe the difference between how Christians and non-believers grieve? [01:35]
3. What specific hope does the pastor mention that allows him to face the world's suffering? [02:13]
4. What does the pastor say about his son Matthew's current state in heaven? [01:03]

Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean for God to wipe away every tear, and how does this promise impact a believer's perspective on grief? [01:53]
2. How does the promise in Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted," provide assurance to those who are grieving?
3. In what ways does the pastor suggest that Christian hope empowers believers to engage with the world's suffering? [02:30]
4. How does the pastor's personal story about his son Matthew illustrate the concept of grieving with hope? [00:45]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced grief. How did your faith influence your grieving process, and what role did hope play in it? [01:35]
2. How can the promise of Revelation 21:4 encourage you to face personal or global suffering with courage and compassion? [02:13]
3. In what ways can you offer comfort to someone who is mourning, based on the assurance found in Matthew 5:4?
4. The pastor mentions missing his son deeply. How can you find ways to honor and remember loved ones who have passed away while holding onto hope? [01:17]
5. How can the hope of a future without suffering motivate you to work towards justice and healing in your community? [02:30]
6. Consider the pastor's story about his son Matthew. How can you find peace in knowing that your loved ones who have passed are free from pain and suffering? [01:03]
7. What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of God's promises during times of grief and loss?

Devotional

Day 1: Grieving with Hope

In times of loss, Christians experience a unique kind of grief. This grief is not for the departed, who are now in a place of eternal joy and peace, but for ourselves, as we miss their presence in our lives. The Bible assures us that we have a hope that transcends our sorrow. This perspective shifts our focus from despair to gratitude for the hope we have in Christ. Our grief is infused with hope, a hope that is rooted in the promises of God. This hope sustains us and allows us to look forward to a future where the old order of things has passed away. [00:25]

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (ESV): "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. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep."

Reflection: Think of a loved one you have lost. How can you shift your focus from the pain of their absence to the hope of their eternal joy in Christ today?


Day 2: Freedom from Suffering

The pain of losing a loved one is compounded by the suffering they endured in life. Yet, knowing they are now free from that suffering brings a unique comfort and peace. This understanding allows us to grieve not their death, but the pain they endured during their life. We can find solace in the fact that they are now free from fear, pain, and depression, and all their questions have been answered. They are in a place of joy and understanding, and for that, we do not grieve. Instead, we grieve because we miss them deeply. [00:45]

Isaiah 57:1-2 (ESV): "The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness."

Reflection: Reflect on the suffering your loved one endured. How can you find peace in knowing they are now free from that suffering and in a place of eternal rest?


Day 3: Hope in God's Promise

Our hope as Christians is anchored in the promise of Revelation 21:4, where God will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death or pain. This hope empowers us to face the world's suffering with courage and compassion. It allows us to engage with the world's pain without being overwhelmed by it. We can work towards justice and healing, knowing that God will ultimately restore all things. This promise gives us the strength to face the world's suffering, whether it be in poverty-stricken areas or in the inner cities where people are abused and misused. [01:53]

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV): "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: Consider a situation of suffering in the world that burdens your heart. How can you actively participate in bringing hope and healing to that situation today?


Day 4: Engaging with the World's Pain

The promise of a future without suffering allows us to engage with the world's pain without being overwhelmed by it. We hold onto the hope that one day, God will settle all scores, balance all accounts, and bring an end to all suffering. This hope sustains us and allows us to look forward to a future where the old order of things has passed away. It empowers us to face the world's suffering with courage and compassion, knowing that God will ultimately restore all things. [02:30]

Romans 8:18-21 (ESV): "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God."

Reflection: Identify an area of your life where you feel overwhelmed by the world's pain. How can you invite God's hope into that area and take a step towards healing and justice today?


Day 5: Comfort for Those Who Mourn

Jesus' promise that those who mourn will be comforted assures us that our grief is not without purpose. It is a journey towards healing and a deeper understanding of God's eternal plan. This comfort is not just a temporary relief but a profound assurance that our grief is not in vain and that we will be reunited with our loved ones in a place where there is no more pain or sorrow. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. [03:01]

Psalm 34:18-19 (ESV): "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all."

Reflection: Think of a time when you have experienced God's comfort in your mourning. How can you extend that same comfort to someone else who is grieving today?

Quotes


the Bible says we have a hope and so we grieve but we grieve with hope when a Christian dies why do we grieve I mean there that Christian is going to heaven they're going where they're made for they're going where they're going to spend eternity and they're going where you're going to go too if you know the Lord [00:00:01]

my son Matthew for 27 years was tortured by mental illness and it was Agony and honestly when he died I grieved his extremely painful life more than I grieved his extremely painful death because I know today he has no fear he has no pain he has no depression he has he is every one of his questions has been answered [00:00:33]

he has Joy he has the understanding everything he's always wonder why was I made like this why did why didn't I get well all those questions were answered I'm not grieving the fact that he's in heaven I grieve the fact that I miss him I want my son back I miss him now and so when a Christian Grieves we grieve in a very [00:01:07]

very different way than the rest of the world we grieve with hope non-believers grieve without any hope and that's disastrous it's devastating it's debilitating it's despairing what is Our Hope Revelation 21:4 says this God will wipe every tear from their eyes and there will be no more death or Mourning or crying [00:01:30]

or pain for the old order of things will have passed away I am looking forward to that day so much it's one of the things that allows me to go to places like Africa and see people starving from poverty and allows me to go into the inner city and see people being beat up and abused and misused and allows me to see all the [00:01:58]

pain in the world which could be pilita in its depressing nature if I didn't know that one day God is going to settle the score he's going to even the odds he's going to balance the accounts and one day in heaven God's going to wipe away every tear and there will be no more death and there will be no more mourning and there will be no more [00:02:30]

suffering and no more crying and no more pain for the old order will have passed away that is one of the six hopes that blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted [00:02:48]

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Transcript
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