It's okay

Loss. Maybe it's a death, a relationship that's ended, a friendship that's broken. Loss makes us feel awkward and vulnerable. Often, we may not even know what to do. We may try to brush it off, smile and go on. And it's hard to hear those all too familiar comments initially: 'Everything happens for a reason'; 'God has a plan'; 'You'll learn from this.' The comments may be true, but they don't feel comforting in the moment.

When Lazarus died, Jesus took it hard. That shouldn't surprise us. Jesus isn't an untouchably emotionless God. When he was on earth, he was just as open to loss as we are. 'When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid him?" He asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him"' (John 11:33-36 NIV)! Jesus cared about Lazarus and his sisters. He didn't say, 'He's in a better place.' He sympathised with them and cried with them.

Whatever kind of loss we're facing, Jesus' example gives us the go-ahead to feel the emotions we may be bottling up. It's okay to be angry. It's okay to cry.



So what now? Whether you're currently experiencing loss, or have in the past, remember that God sympathises with you. It's okay to cry or shout. And, if you know someone who is grieving, give them a hug, a coffee or a listening ear.





— SCRIPTURE —

'Jesus wept.' John 11:35 NIV
— SOULFOOD —

2 Cor 9:1-11:15, John 1:1-13, Ps 60, Pro 25:21-22