The Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday is a strange place. But it’s where lots of us live our lives – caught between mourning and moving on, between pain and joy, grieving different losses than death alone. If you look, you’ll find many around you in a place like that. Offer more than a half-hearted hug today. Help people encounter generosity in places of deep pain.
Green: Think of someone in your world that has experienced grief in the past 12 months. Give them a random call, tell them they’re on your mind, and ask them how they’re doing.
Amber: Are you struggling with anything that you haven’t told anyone? Confide in someone you trust. Giving others the opportunity to help and support you is generous because helping people makes us feel good.
Red: Think back to a difficult time in your life where someone was really there for you. Send them a text or buy them a small gift and let them know that you’ll be forever grateful.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
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In 2017, I lost my Dad pretty suddenly. He passed away after a really short illness and it knocked me for six. That season of my life made me realise that it’s quite easy to have faith when things are going amazingly in your life, but it’s a lot more difficult when we find ourselves in situations that we can’t control.
Romans 8:28 was a verse I heard a lot when I was growing up: All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord. I failed to believe that verse during my time of grief. How could anything good come from losing my Dad?
Once again, the Bible proved me wrong. A year after the passing of my father, I decided to write music about my grief and how I was learning to trust God through it. I wasn’t completely out of the dark and it was a season between mourning and moving on but I knew I had to share. I’ve been guilty in the past of only sharing my true feelings once I’ve come out of the storm but I’ve found that it’s just as generous to share when you’re in the storm and you haven’t got it all worked out.
To this very day I get messages from people all over the world who’ve expressed that me being open about my experience has really helped them deal with their own grief. I’m humbled that God used my pain for His purpose and to help others. All things do work together for good and I know it can be hard but things do get better. For example, at the start of my grief process, I completely went off chicken, which is not like me! Now, I’m back at Nando’s every week!
If life is tough for you at the moment, I’d encourage you to ride the waves. Tough times strengthen our character and give us opportunities to help others who will battle with similar stuff in the future.
In John 10:10, Jesus promises to give us life to the full. I used to interpret this as an amazing life full of highs and yes God does want us to have amazing life, but now I view that verse differently. I think life to the full sometimes means the fullness of joy, but other times could mean the fullness of sadness. But know that in any of those times, all things will work together for our good.
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