Guts and Tears: Encouragement for those experiencing loss

Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash

One of the most famous miracles of Jesus is the raising of Lazarus from the dead. It is also the story that contains the shortest verse in the Bible: Jesus wept. There is another emotion present in this story: one of visceral anger, although most translators choose a softer description: "deeply moved". 

At the time of the death of Lazarus, a close friend, John records Jesus expressing two profound emotions: deep sadness displayed in the shedding of tears and deep anger displayed in a powerful action. When Jesus heard of the death of Lazarus, he knew what was going to happen. He knew the end result that God would raise Lazarus from the dead. Yet, in spite of this knowledge, Jesus felt sad and angry. He was moved to tears and moved in his guts.

Therefore, when we face death: the death of loved ones (the expected deaths and the unexpected deaths), why should we not feel the same emotions? 

Unlike Jesus, we face these deaths without the certain knowledge he had. We face those deaths holding onto every scrap of hope our faith can give us. We face those deaths with limited knowledge and overwhelming emotion.

So, it's ok for us to feel those same emotions of anger and sadness, and to feel them as deeply as Jesus did, moved to tears and moved in our guts: sad and angry. So feel those emotions...without shame, without concern, without fear and without apology. Feel them, express them and listen, because in the depth of those emotions being expressed you will hear the quiet voice of God whispering comfort to you.

So, if you are facing the death of a loved one today; know this:

- Jesus knows what you feel because he felt it,

- what you are feeling is ok and right,

- express those emotions as you need to, just like Jesus did in the story

- hold on to that hope of faith, that those who believe in Jesus will experience eternal life 

For it is Jesus who said to Martha in the midst of her grief, the words of good news for all,

"I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)