I was talking to a friend this week who just lost his brother unexpectedly in a climbing accident. With the loss of one of my brothers and that journey fresh in my head, and I was able to share a few thoughts, next steps, and simply pray.
Later, texting back and forth with my other brother, I shared this story and he said "Losing family sucks. Seems like it is more common. Like when you get a car and its like everybody has one."
So true. And while each of our lives are so much the same, they are also as different as falling snow flakes. And while each of us are so different, we are all the same, designed by God to experience His love, and share His love.
While we're grieving it is perhaps when it's most clear that we are designed to love, in the image of God who is love. Our emotions remind us that this person was important to us. We loved them.
These are times when God can most notably reveal himself with a peace that passes understanding.
Phillipians 4...
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
This is easier said than done. Losing a loved one is hard, and God designed us to grieve.
Try this...
Imagine our lives without having known those we've lost at all.
Celebrate all that is excellent and praiseworthy about having been blessed to have them in our life, if only for a time.
Grieve a life lost, celebrate a life given.
Everybody dies. But those close to us aren't everybody, they are somebody.
To my friend, I'm deeply saddened your brother has been pulled away so early and so suddenly. And I'm very happy you were blessed to have had him in your life, if even just for a season.
To some he was part of a passing snow storm, to you, he was a beautiful snow flake.
That is excellent and praiseworthy.