We must grieve. “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13) We grieve, but with the hope of glory.
While working on my master’s project my graduate advisor asked me to talk with a family that had lost two daughters. With tears, they told of an older daughter who had died shortly after she got her driver’s license. They told everyone not to cry at her funeral and they had a birthday party funeral with balloons and cake. She was having her first birthday in heaven.
The awful must be grieved as awful. We do not need to put a sweet, positive spin on tragedy and death. Painful reality must be viewed as painful reality.
Months later, the younger daughter left a suicide note which read,“I don’t know why you are happy. Life sucks. Good-bye.”
The awful must be grieved as awful. We do not need to put a sweet, positive spin on tragedy and death. Painful reality must be viewed as painful reality.
