Gò0dNews for Life
Walking Through Mourning
N
by Danette Reeves
o one can escape mourning. It is inevitable because
when He said in Luke 22:21, “But listen, the hand of the
we live in this sin-cursed, death-ridden world. Each
one betraying Me is with mine on the table.” He hurt
person will mourn something: the loss of parents,
when His disciples could not stay awake to pray with Him
siblings, children, or a spouse; the loss of jobs, health,
(Matthew 26:40). Jesus surely felt deep mourning when the
wealth, and dreams; and the loss of friendships, abilities,
rooster crowed as He looked into Peter’s eyes when Peter
capabilities, and possibly even our minds. Mourning is an
(the one who claimed he would follow to the end) denied
authentic process.
Him three times (Luke 22:61). Think about the grief Jesus must have felt when He looked down from the cross and saw His mother so distraught. Can you hear the gentleness and deep mourning as He gives His sonship to John: “Dear woman, look, here is your son” (John 19:26)? Even in the very worst of pain, Jesus turned to God, His Father, and asked for a different cup and then later asked from the cross, “Why have You forsaken Me?” Each journey of mourning is personal. In searching Scripture to see how Jesus mourned, the key is found in the picture of Jesus being in the midst of the horrible loneliness and pain, never denying His grief, yet turning to God in honesty and yielding to His Father.
Ignoring pain does not bring healing; it just buries it
Our healing comes from walking through the mourning
like a speck of infection in a wound that cannot heal. One
with the Great Physician—the One who is the Lover of my
can pretend, stay busy, bury it in food, and minister to
soul: The One who loves perfectly and completely.
others and yet never heal from mourning. It just becomes a
May we find comfort in Revelation 21:3-5: “And I heard
spreading poison that rears its ugly, infected head into every
a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling
corner of one’s life—every relationship, every thought,
place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they
every ministry.
will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as
Jesus never denied His grief. He openly wept at the
their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and
death of His dear friend, Lazarus. Even though Jesus knew
death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor
He would resurrect Lazarus, He first mourned the loss.
crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed
Jesus mourned the rejection of His people (Luke 19:41-
away.’ And He who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold,
44). He knew Israel would suffer greatly because they had
I am making all things new.’”
when John the Baptist was beheaded (Matthew 14:18). Jesus knew the pain of betrayal and rejection intimately
22 // August 2020
About The Author
rejected Him, and He wept. Jesus withdrew from people Danette Reeves teaches a Ladies’ Discipleship Class and is the Ladies Fellowship Director at First Baptist Church, Calhoun, Tennessee, as well as being active in the church music ministries. She lives in Cleveland, Tennessee, with her husband, Charlie, and is a mom to three grown children and Oma to four grandchildren.
