The Scriptures are filled with God’s healing restoration and bring some solace, but as
you know there is no roadmap for grief, and one hopes to walk through a moment at a time
with God’s grace and love. I will always miss my husband, who died at 83 years of age. We had
a blessed life, not a perfect one, as we were both quite human. I would say we were blessed to
be married 57 years and he would reply 39, counting only the ‘good’ ones. Ever the comic, we
both knew each day was gift.
As Jesus comforted His disciples about His upcoming death in John 16:22, “So you also
are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take
your joy from you,” I know we will be together in eternity. I read, ‘the ultimate miracle of Divine
Love is this, that the life of the Risen Lord is given to us to give to one another. It is given to us
through our own human loves.’ As God’s love carries each of us through loss and sorrow, our
family has repeatedly seen that Love is stronger than death. Grief visits unpredictably and is
constant, intermittent, and certain. We grieve with hope believing that God is close to the
brokenhearted and hold onto Jesus’ promise we will be reunited with our loved ones.
A Scripture that is holding me is, 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
What we ‘see’ is not the final word and encouragement comes from keeping our eyes on God,
offering ourselves in love. As we do, we receive every assurance we could ever desire. Our
worth is not dependent on anything or anyone. Being God’s beloved is guaranteed. St. Julian of
Norwich wrote, “We are so preciously loved by God that we cannot even comprehend. No
created being can ever know how much and how sweetly and tenderly God loves them. It is
only with the help of His grace that we are able to persevere with endless wonder at His high,
surpassing immeasurable love.”
In prayer, I sensed to focus on what I do have, not have not. As I have written before,
what we focus on is what gains the strength. I am grateful knowing Gene’s suffering has ended,
and he is at peace with the Lord; blessed to be surrounded by many I love and those who love
me; thankful for a lifetime of memories; the love of the Lord and so much more. I hold on to
God’s promise in Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk, give
you counsel with My eye on you.” The pain of loss reflects how deeply our hearts have loved.
I share how one of my granddaughters described her grandfather on social media: He
truly cared so much for his family and friends and their health and happiness. Always full of love
and lit up every room he walked into. Funniest person ever and constantly made us laugh. An
amazing cook, from his many course Italian dinners to amazing Cella salad. We know he is
watching over us already.
Celebrate the ‘temporary’ and treasure one another. God’s love heals us always!