Green Lane
Shirley
Solihull
West Midlands
B90 1AA
Heartbeat 2010 June 6
A time to mourn
At different times in our church life it is important to consider topics that go to the heart of who we are as people. A few months ago we spent two Sunday mornings looking at the topic of depression and this morning we are looking at bereavement.
None of us can escape the losses that accompany life. They start in childhood when our favourite toy is broken or lost, or a pet dies. The childhood loss of a grandparent is a common experience.
As we grow older, there may be loss as a relationship breaks up or we are made redundant.
All of these are significant losses but none are as shattering and painful as when a mother/father/son/daughter/brother/sister dies or when one's partner dies.
How do we cope with these losses? How can we be equipped to help those in these times?
In one sense it sounds a bit of a cliche, but 'loss can make us either bitter or better.' God's purpose for each of us is for us to become more Christ-like in the way we live our lives, so let's choose 'better' rather than 'bitter' and try to discover God and his purposes in our sorrow and suffering.
