No Amount of Words.
It is really so hard for a person to lose a love one. How much more for a mom to bury her own child.
Today, we received a very sad news that a youth from church passed away because of Leukemia. The boy is no more than even the age of 15. He was diagnosed last March and the Church family had been praying for his wellbeing. But I guess, the plan of God is different. That young man, before he died, fulfilled a very difficult task of reuniting his family.
I believe, there is no amount of words that can comfort Ate Nora for losing her youngest child, except for the loving arms of God whom she offered her heart and trust. I personally can’t say even the word of condolence because to be broken by the hand of the Almighty can surpass even the traditions of men. It is a personal battle and dealings. As I quoted from Ate Nora’s words herself, “#BROKEN...unless being broken from the inside God cannot work within, there is no change. “
One of this days, if God permits me so (because I really am a type of person who doesn’t know how to comfort someone in times of loss), I want to tell Ate Nora these comforting words from the Book of Daniel, when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is about to be thrown on the fiery furnace because they refuse to bow down to the statue of Nebuchadnezzar : If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, now worship the golden image which thou hast set up (Daniel 3:17-18).”
This is actually the biggest challenge of faith, when God did not save us from our physical affliction. But remember how Paul, Peter, Stephen, James and other Apostles of Christ gave up their life for simply following Him? Our purpose is different from each other and sometimes the end of our life is just the beginning of the others. Also, God answers us in so many different ways that we cannot fathom and His ways of dealings among us is different. Mhyco already fulfilled his purpose; so even more so, we have to trust God even more.
To the rest of us, let us dwell in this comforting words from the Book of James: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:2-4).” To whom we patiently waits? James 5:8 “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” The purifying of our faith through trials and testing leads us to patiently and genuinely waiting for our Savior, Jesus Christ.
To those like Ate Nora who suffered loss, please remember John 11:25-26
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
If we truly and faithfully serve God during our lifetime, even so we die in physical, our hope is to be with Him. That is our surety that we will never be no more. And even as we live, we are together forever with Him. So if a love one dies loving God, our assurance is we will also be reunited with them on a much better and new earth where there would be no sickness, hurting and sufferings.
To John Mhyco Penido, it is good to be forever in your eternal home.
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This blog post is a blog for Compassion Bloggers under December 2020 Writing Prompt “Careful With Our Words” Compassion Bloggers is a ministry of Compassion International whose mission is to release children from poverty . Catch Compassion bloggers at https://compassionbloggers.com/ Published also in "My Profound Tower" (Volume 2, Issue no. 3 series of 2020)
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