You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. Matthew 5:4
I stepped on the plane, leaving my mom to finish packing up my brother’s things. It took everything in me to not break down and weep as I sat there, staring out the window. Over the course of just a few weeks, my brother went from being there, to being gone. How is this possible? He was young and full of life and he had so many years ahead of him. How can this be? For weeks I wanted to shout on the street corner – don’t you know my brother is dead? How can life go on as if nothing happened? I still can’t describe the deep deep loss felt at his passing. From the depths of my being it hurt like nothing I’ve ever felt and it still lingers although the 22 years that have passed have soothed the hurt. I loved my brother. Our relationship was a love/hate sort of friendship. Like most siblings, he annoyed me, but I annoyed him more. I can still hear him calling on my mom for help and I can see his smile in my mind’s eye. He had a big heart and he was a big baby. I get to carry great memories of happiness and sadness when I think of him. He is missed, and he is remembered.
It is in moments of loss, sadness and despair that God shows up in the most gentle of ways to embrace us. He let’s us weep for what has been lost. He let’s us pour out our sorrows and fears as He listens, fully understanding our pain. It is in these moments that we have a shoulder to cry on and strength to draw on. We have a hope that transcends all emotion and a love that lifts us out of despair into joy. We have a hope to cling to and a promise that extends beyond this life. If you experience loss and sorrow that takes your breath away, know that our heavenly Father is right there to carry you until you can catch your breath once again. Living a full life includes a share of sadness and pain. It’s in these moments in time that we become stronger, resilient and more compassionate toward others. Know that in the midst of it all, you are fully loved, fully cared for, and totally held by God.
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for. Matthew 5:7
