The Indescribable Loss of Losing a Friend, Jesus, on the Cross, Blinded All Hope
Christians have heard the Easter story over and over, and some very meaningful and emotional portrayals have helped us to feel the sadness, grief, anger and confusion that must have come with that time.
But imagine being one of Jesus’ friends or family members when he was crucified, especially since they seemed to have no idea a resurrection was ahead. No loss we can think of today would perhaps match the suffering felt that day.
Loss of or the threat of loss of a loved one through death or a strained/broken relationship is often at the root of our mental, physical and even emotional difficulties. In our grief, we are unable to see the hope of the future, the plan that God might have through the death of a loved one.
Jesus’ friends and family were unable to see the victory during that very dark weekend. They most likely felt very far from God, separated from His love and protection, focusing on the past and perhaps what they could have done to change the present.
God promises that despite all these obstacles of life, you can have overwhelming victory through Christ. Come to Him for help and forgiveness. If you let Christ in, nothing—absolutely nothing—can separate you from His love. No reason all that stuff from the past should steal another minute of your joy and happiness. A victory doesn’t just mean to win. It means a decisive win—a win that leaves no doubt.
Grief is a natural human emotion, and we are entitled to grieve when we experience loss, but that grief shouldn’t become the basis of how we look at life.
Although it is normal to grieve our losses, it is easy to have this grief become the main lens through which we see ourselves, our future, and especially God. This distorted viewpoint will dramatically affect our functioning and decision-making. Instead, we need to choose to concentrate on the relationships, abilities and opportunities that are still ours. In all things, we should strive to view life and God through truthful lenses instead of emotionally distorted ones.