Living with Hope in Times of Grief

Living with Hope in Times of Grief

“We are no longer defined by the pain of our bounded past, but by the joy of our unbounded future. Anticipating our times together in our Father’s house.”

These are some of the last words I sent to Larry Crabb before he passed away. Even though I did not know him well, I was moved with grief for my loss and joy at his gain. This is how we need to see our loss as we process the death of fellow believers. Dwelling on the following outline of a sermon by Jonathan Edwards can remind us of this truth:

  1. Our bad things will turn out for good (Romans 8:28)
  2. Our good things can never be taken away from us (Psalm 4:6–7)
  3. The best things are yet to come (1 Corinthians 2:9)

In addition, meditating on Scripture can help us process our grief and give us hope because it fills our minds with truth. I would encourage you to read through the post Biblical Hope in Times of Loss, which gives a list of verses that can be a balm to the soul in dealing with loss (see also my teaching on this topic in this video).

If music speaks to your soul, I recommend watching “Windows of Heaven,” a video that puts these verses to music and pairs them with beautiful photographs.

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Missed a session in Ken’s Wednesday morning study? The archives are available here.

A Sneak Peak at the Cove Retreat: Starting at 26:49 of this video, Ken Boa discusses the topic of the Reflections Ministries retreat for men and women, which will be held at the Cove. Save the date! We would love to have you join us May 14–16, 2021.

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