I have spent the last couple of weeks thinking about this passage. Romans chapter eight, verse 18 reads “I believe that the present suffering is nothing compared to the coming glory that is going to be revealed to us.” When I read that, this is what I hear it say. Suffering is inevitable throughout life. Now, some of that is brought upon by sin, but it also points to the broken world we are living in. It also shows how you might be suffering now, but the light at the end of the tunnel is God's unending glory. Verse 24 speaks about hope, and that is intriguing to me, not just because that is my name (haha). Part of the verse reads, “Who hopes for what they already see?” In this, I hear the importance of giving your hopes, wishes, and prayers to God, even through the times of hardship or loss.
After reflecting more on it, this is what this passage looks like for me as a Christian.
I think about loss. It is something we all go through and it's an unexplainable feeling. Recovering from loss looks different for everyone. For some, it looks like laughter in a serious setting or it can be uncontrollable anger. For others, it is shutting anyone and everything out. Or, it’s all of the above at different times or different days. Some days are good, others are bad, and some are in between. Some days it’s just a lingering ache, of what once was, and what isn’t anymore. Loss can be around a lot of things. Loss of a loved one, a friendship, a relationship, a pet, or a community member. As I say this list out loud, I realize I have experienced all of these kinds of loss. None of them are easy.
The loss of a pet - it might bring tears to your eyes right now just to hear those words or think about it. Many of us have experienced this. My first dog Frodo was a beloved family member. He was 16, with one eye, a big personality, and he barked all the time. After he passed, I started to miss all that and the cuddles. And so did Sam, our other dog.
Next, we might feel loss in our school setting. This can happen in different ways. Whether it be a friend moving away at the start of middle school or leaving a favorite teacher’s classroom as you move on to the next grade or school. Within the past month, my school community has experienced loss three times. As a young person, it can be a lot for my brain to comprehend. Classmates, and friends, who were at school yesterday, but won’t be tomorrow. There is a protocol in place when a crisis happens. But when it happens more than once, in a short period of time, the suffering that occurs happens on another level. As a community of faith within Lincoln and at East, we came together. We came together to pray over our school and our community. To hold each other, and even to cry. Over 150 people coming together to show unity, peace, love and comfort - pastors, teachers, students, parents, even those who don’t go to church on Sunday. We came together as a community, to mourn what was, and what will no longer be. The feeling of everyone surrounding our community in prayer was so powerful. And as hard as it was, it was a crucial step in our journey of healing.
Now, I think of the church members right here in this community who made an impact on everyone. They graced us with their presence. I feel like some of those people were gone far too soon, and I just wish I could give them one more hug.
And lastly, for me, last year I experienced one of the hardest things I’ll ever go through. On May 3rd, 2022, my grandpa Harley, went to be with our God. He was suffering and in pain for quite some time. I am happy that he is now pain free. But, even though I am grateful for that, I still mourn the time I had with him. I look back on all the fun memories I had with him throughout my life. I think of how blessed I and all of his grandchildren were. In addition to mourning the past with grandpa, I mourn the future. I mourn that he will not see me graduate from high school and college. He won’t be there to dance with me at my wedding. He won’t be there to meet my future children. And I also see how his passing affects the people I love. I think of my grandmother, who lost the love of her life and the father of her three wonderful children. I see her trying to continue experiencing a new life, one filled with grief.
Through all these experiences I share with you here today, I have learned that grief and loss cannot be handled alone. There is support all around, and available in different ways. Whether that is a member from the church that works with grieving, a therapist, or another friend to confide in and to lean on. But also, be available, to be THAT friend that others can lean on as well.
So…here we are in this conversation about grief and loss. After all that, how do you find hope when you feel like there isn’t any. A complex question, with complex answers and ideas. I don’t think there is a guidebook for this sort of thing. The Bible has some wonderful stories and verses for us to read and study but we have to take those words off the page for them to really help us. I have a few things that I do and I would like to share them with you. They aren’t an instant fix but they are a step in the right direction. A step towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Find joy in the little moments. At the end of the day, reflect on someone who made your day better. Maybe they were a bright spot in your day. Be thankful for them, and pray for them. Recognize that things are so tough and hard sometimes. It’s okay NOT to be okay! Those hard times are going to happen. But remember, there IS a light at the end of the tunnel.
When life happens, things can get hard. Those hard times can make us angry at God. When this happens, it can be easy to forget our “why” or our reason for being HERE this Sunday morning. That reason is Jesus. Jesus died and rose again for our sins, so that we could live the way we do today. As the scripture reads, we believe that Jesus will one day come back, and that our belief in him leads to eternal life. It is important to try and remember this as we walk through life. How ever it looks for you, whether that’s taking a breath, going for a walk, talking to a friend, or just prioritizing some quiet time alone, try and implement these habits into your life.
We all feel the suffering, in one way or another. Days can be long and feel full of uncertainty. The truth today is this. God sees and hears our struggles. God knows we are struggling before we do. That means that through all of the uncertainty in our lives, God will be the constant comfort. Our unending and unwavering love. But being part of this community, I have come to recognize something else. In addition to the unwavering love of God, I also have the unwavering love of my family, my friends, and THIS community. ALL those who love you will carry you through when you feel like you cannot. I charge you with this; be there for your neighbor. Check in on all your friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. Be kind, always! You never know what struggles someone is dealing with. Hold the door open for people, say please and thank you, help others take steps towards that light at the end of the tunnel, and in return, they will do the same to you. Most of all, cherish every moment, because you never know how much time you have left. God be with you all.
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