Good Grief

“Good grief” is an expression of surprise, dismay, alarm or other emotion, usually negative. The term, a euphemism for “good God,” dates from the early 1900s. It appeared frequently in Charles M. Schulz’s comic strip, Peanuts, where various characters would use it in addressing the hapless hero, “Good Grief! Charlie Brown!” Do you ever have cause to apply it to the circumstances of your life? Do you ever experience surprise, dismay, alarm or other emotion, usually negative? The chorus resounds: “I do.” 

Grief isn’t good, but good can come out of it, though sometimes we are slow to recognize it.

The warning Jesus gave His disciples is applicable to each of us, “you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy.” I Thessalonians 4:13-14

Every time we wrestle with the events in the catalog of pain the Bible shows up and offers us hope, such as, “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18

We are all on the scale of suffering somewhere between life being free and easy, and suffering that seems unbearable. The latter is described in Scripture as groaning. However, this darkness is not going to end in despair, not even death. If you are a follower of Jesus, this groaning will end in God’s glory and your joy.

Grief is a form of pain, physical or emotional. Dr. Braun, director of the former leprosarium near Baton Rouge, was asked if he could give a person suffering from leprosy one gift, what would it be? He said he would give them the gift of pain. Not being sensitive to pain they might put their hand on a hot stove, and not feel the heat injure themself seriously. Pain, like all suffering, is a warning signal something is wrong.

Consider the form of pain: grief. The big three in terms of loss usually involve the death of a spouse, child, and/or close family member, becoming unemployed, and, finally, moving and/or the loss of a home. But there are many other major life changes that can cause grief, too—things like illness, disability, separation, divorce, abuse—all excellent candidates for triggering a grief response. That’s why how you handle grief is so important. 

Grief is love with no place to go. It is the final stage of love. As such it often awakens us to the need of God from which comes all comfort. You don’t have to suffer alone. The same Jesus who wept at the tomb of Lazarus wants to be your companion in time of grief. Overcoming grief takes time. Don’t try to ignore it. Internalizing it can be emotionally harmful. There is an old hymn with a line that offers comfort, “Take it to the Lord and leave it there.” Express it to Him.

Claim these promises.

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (I Peter 5: 10)

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34: 18)

Blessed to Bless

The greatest blessing known to man, aside from getting to know Jesus in a personal relationship, is being a blessing to someone.

 “So encourage each other to build each other up, just as you are already doing.” I Thessalonians 5:11

I am always delighted when someone is a blessing to me for two reasons. One obvious, but not the primary reason, is it lifts me up. However, the primary reason is I know they are blessed by doing it. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) We all know how good it is to receive, but we can never fully know how good it is to give.

When was the last time you were on the receiving end of a blessing? Felt good didn’t it? When was the last time you were on the sending end of a blessing? Felt even better, didn’t it?

Recently I have had people reach out across the ages and express gratitude for what I was to them years ago. What a blessing, not just to me but to them in doing so.

One was a viable 93 year old. She was gracious in recounting past experiences, prompting exchanges.

Another was a 50 year old adult who has spent his life in ministry helping steer people on behalf of the Lord. He told of how he had invested in young lives, specifics I had invested in his life over 30 years.

Yet another had spent months trying to find out if I were alive and how to reach me. Such a special blessing.

Still was another who has had three highly successful phases to his life, a mega-contributor to many. He recalled how I visited the home of his parents and as I was leaving I looked down at him as a little boy and said to his parents, “You’ve got a winner there.” That passing comment he said motivated him to strive to be a winner in all of life.  

Remember, “Kind words are like honey sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” (Proverbs 16:24)

It has been my joy to reach out to others and express to them how they have been a blessing in my life. About 30 years ago I made a list of 15 persons who were a blessing in my life during the years of my youth. I contacted each and expressed my gratitude and abiding love for them. I am glad I did, for all of them are no longer alive.

To you the reader of this, I have prayed for all who receive it that the Lord will fulfill the following in your life today.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6: 24 – 26

You Do Matter

Do you ever feel as though you don’t have resources that enable you to be a contributor? 

Small things can ultimately have large results. For example, consider how few musical notes there are in a scale. There are only eight. Yet, all the music in the world comes from them. Consider all the symphonies, concertos, oratorios, hymns, and popular secular music. It all comes from only eight notes.

All the profound words in libraries filled with volumes written in English have their origin in only twenty-six letters of the English alphabet.

You are not accountable for anything not in your control. You are responsible for the most constructive use of things in your reservoir of resources. 

Jesus told the story of the mustard seed. Not knowing the nature of the mustard of which He spoke robs us of its fuller meaning. I have brought back from Israel literally hundreds of thousands of these seeds. Upon planting one it takes on the nature of the Oriental mustard and grows to become a ten foot tree. Small though the seed was, it produced a tree large enough for a bird to build its nest in it. It was small, but its nature was large. We all produce according to our nature something larger than ourselves. If you have the heart, you can do the same. 

Be all you were created with the ability to be. That is all you should expect of yourself. However, that is what you should demand of yourself. 

Examples of this are students. A “C” student should be the best “C” student they have the ability to be. A “B” student should be the best “B” they have the ability to be. An “A” student should be the best “A” student they have the capacity of being. Neither should be concerned about not being what they don’t have the capacity of being. All should aspire to be the best they were born with the capacity to be.

The dedication of each should be to being their best they can be and not fretting over not being one they are not capable of being. Stretch yourself within your being.

A worthy aspiration and commitment is: Jesus, I want to be all for you that I have the capacity of being.

James the Lesser is proof there is room for lessers in the service of our Lord. He is an example of the fact you can’t have a greater without a lesser. You can’t have a book without a chapter, you can’t have a chapter without a paragraph, you can’t have a paragraph without a sentence, you can’t have a sentence without a word, and you can’t have a word without the letters of the alphabet. You can’t have a greater without a lesser. Whatever he did it was essential to the role of the apostles. He walked with giants, and was a companion of Jesus.

If you feel like you are a nobody, get over it. In reality there are no nobodies in the cause of Christ. Nobody? There stands the cross proving you really are somebody. Now get out there and fulfill the cause for which you were called. May you find fulfillment in your calling. You really do matter.

Where Is Your Treasure

We drove out of the little Montana town of Melrose through the abandoned remains of the once viable little town of Hecla that boasted a population of 1,000 citizens. It was the mining and smelting site for the gold, silver, and copper mined nearby. The 30 foot beehive shaped charcoal ovens were all that remains. 

From there we drove the lonely mountain trail up to an elevation of 8,000 feet to Vipond, another formerly prosperous gold rush community built around the Mewonitoc Load in 1868. A lone cowboy and his two cattle dogs, working in isolation, were moving a herd of about 200 cattle down from this expansive plateau to the lower plains for the winter. All of this is way off the tourist route.

Faint remains are all that exist of these once bustling mountain towns. They are a reminder that physical things seldom last. Therefore, don’t put your trust in gold and silver, physical things. For this reason Scripture urges that we establish our proper priorities.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”  (I John 2:15-17 ESV)

Once a person invests their faith for life in Jesus, eternal life is assured. With that set and maintained, abundant life can be enjoyed to the fullest.

Residual benefits are plentiful and joyous.

An effective prayer life is resultant. “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5: 16) The word “righteous” means to live right-wise with God. When in fellowship with Him heaven is open to you. This entitles you to talk to the Father about such matters as, but not exclusively, health, guidance in decision making, finances, home life, friendships, business, and the list goes on.

A major bonus is “peace that passes understanding for Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14: 27) Think about it, that is a priceless promise. Abnormal fear and anxiety are controlled.

At the end of life awaits the foremost of blessings. 

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” 

Tough Times

Duke women’s basketball coach, Kara Lawson, made a statement recently we all need to apply. It was spoken to her team but is practical for all. It follows.

“We all wait in life for things to get better.”

“It will never get easier. What happens is you handle it better. That’s a mental shift that has to occur in your brain.”

“And the second we see you handling stuff, handling hard better, What are we going to do?” We are going to make it harder because we’re preparing you for when you leave here.”

“So make yourself a person who handles hard well. Not somebody who’s waiting for the easy.”

“Because if you have a meaningful pursuit in life, any meaningful pursuit in life if you want to be successful, it’s going to be the people who handle hard well.”

“Those are going to be the people who get the stuff they want.”

“Don’t get discouraged through this time if it’s hard. Don’t be discouraged. It is supposed to be and don’t wait for it to be easy.”

“So make yourself someone who handles hard well and then whatever comes to you, you’re going to be great.”

In effect, the coach is saying that each tough issue toughens us for tougher ones to come. When you handle a tough issue, pause and thank God. It is show and tell time for Him.

Jesus lived a perfect life and it was not easy for Him. Don’t expect it to be for you. Keep in mind the God who knows your load limit, limits your load. He will never give you more than he gives you the ability to handle. With the understanding the word “temptation” in the following Scripture can be understood to also mean trials. Take it as being relevant to you.

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (I Corinthians 10:13)

What you face is not new. It is common to people, others face the same things. Claim the offering by which the Scripture concludes: “….He will provide a way….” Then comes the high note of hope, “….that you can endure….”

With that assurance you can stomp the head of your problem.  Be assured that no matter what is to come the Lord will graciously see you through it. It might not be easy, but it won’t be any tougher than you are tough.

Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.

As God said to and through Isaiah: “do not fear for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41: 10)