Mourning in Hope

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (I Thessalonians 4:13 – KJV)

One afternoon in a college dorm room the tears started flowing. A wise room mate encouraged me to stop stifling them back. I’d been doing that far to long. It was time to mourn.

I grew up in a church that ignored the comparison in this verse. Being taught believers are not allowed to grieve I had no outlet for my sorrow. Mama died from cancer my senior year of high school, but I was well into college before God taught me the release that comes through godly sorrow.

The comparison words “even as” tells us there is a type of mourning for believers. Our mourning is different because we have HOPE.

This week my whole church is mourning. Last Monday afternoon a dear elderly gentleman we love died. Praise God for a pastor who knows how to mourn along with us and point us to the hope of the resurrection.

Dear friend one of the important things my childhood pastor failed to realize is that tears are a gift from God. There is healing power in the ability to cry and lay out our broken hearts before the Lord.

Grief is a natural NEEDED part of death for those who are left behind.

Believers DO mourn, but it is a sorrow filled with HOPE!