Christmas for those who have loved and lost

What keeps Christians going when the world grows darker day by day and lives are fraught with suffering?

The Christian's fuel is the hope we have in Jesus Christ. We have this hope because Jesus died for the world's sins, was resurrected on the third day, and those who give their lives to him are safe and secure in this acceptance. We hold it close to our hearts.

But what happens when we 'lose' someone we loved? When grief feels so thick that it's almost hard to breathe? When festive seasons such as Christmas remind us of that loss even more?

Firstly, I want to emphasis this; it is okay not to be okay. It's okay to cry. Don't be so wrapped up in trying to not to upset others that you don't let yourself grieve properly. Even in the moments which are wrapped up with a pre-decided 'happy' label. I strongly believe in the release of emotions and being vulnerable before our saviour. 

Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts.

However I know that embracing vulnerability and who you are after loss can be easier said than done. Sometimes I feel so consumed by my grief that I can't utter a single word or move a muscle in my body. But I find strength in the unwavering fact that God knows and hears the cries of my heart.

One day, I was crying on the phone to one of my sisters in Christ, and as we spoke she had a vision of Jesus collecting my tears in a jar. I share this to demonstrate that He sees your tears! Your emotions  may tell you that you are alone, without hope, that He's turned His back on you - but your tears are not in vain!

Your sadness may grow stronger at Christmas - you may feel that 'loss' stronger than ever, but God's got you.

Psalm 18:16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.

And now, I remind you again, of that hope that your grief made you forget for a moment. 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 

For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. 

And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

This Christmas, as you remember the hope of salvation that was found in Jesus' birth, which in turn birthed hope within us - remember the hope you also have in His second coming. I know sometimes we feel like Lazarus' sister Mary, who told Jesus "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." But He never left. What we feel is a loss, isn't a true loss at all. Yes, it is certainly a loss in our lives on earth, and it definitely hurts. But God's got you and them this Christmas. 

 Mankind was on an endless downward spiral until Jesus Christ came to earth. We don't have a God who can't relate and emphasis with our struggles. When Jesus saw Lazarus' body, he wept. He feels our pain and struggles. God's got you and your loved ones this Christmas.

I know that not everyone is a believer, and these words may not feel of any use to you. You may be hopeless, in the sense that you're hope isn't placed in Jesus, but I want you to know that you too, are not alone. This Christmas, surround yourself with positive people, who remind you of the love that him/her/them gave you. And I pray that God's love transcends your unbelief and heals your heart.

This is a prayer for all those who are grieving or have experienced some sort of loss:

Dear Jesus,

I believe that you are with me this Christmas. I hold on to the promise that you are with me even in the midst of my storm. My grief, tears and pain could and will never drown out your presence or voice. Touch my heart and give me a reason to smile this Christmas. Thank you for coming down to earth just so I could have hope, and that hope is present in all situations. 

Amen.

Courtney Carr x

He believes in us!

When the Israelites turned their back on Him yet again, in Judges 6, God wasn't ready to abandon them, even though He did allow them to suffer the consequences of their actions.

As a result of rejecting God, the Israelites faced harsh oppression from Midian. God tells them in Judges 6:10 "...you have not listened to me." This made me think of how many times we try and follow our own path, only to suffer the consequences and hear God say, "you have not listened to me." Doesn't this remind you of  the times when you've disobeyed your parents, and you've heard the disappointment in their voices?

A loving parent does not reject their child when they make a mistake and neither does God. Out of His love God raises up a mighty warrior.

Judges 6:12 "When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, 'The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."

Before Gideon even considered himself to be great, God saw the greatness within. There are many things that God has planted in our lives that we may not see yet, but that does not mean they are not there. Just because you don't think you are powerful, or strong, or an over comer, it doesn't mean that you don't possess those qualities deep within.

In Judges 6:13 Gideon responds to the angel, and he says something that I think we have all said when we've doubted God. 

"Pardon me, my lord," Gideon replied, "but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.'"

Personally, when I entered the biggest storm of my life, all I could think was, "If God is with me why am I suffering? How can He truly be good if He has allowed this to happen to me?". As time went on I truly realised that your circumstances are not a reflection of God's character. Just because I was suffering, it doesn't mean that God was up there, enjoying it. 

 Gideon had a warped mindset because his own father had served Baal ( (a foreign useless god)and set up Ashtoreth poles. Often we can misunderstand the moves of God when we focus on our circumstance. As humans, it's like we have a default setting to run from God or blame him when we face trouble - but we've got to go against that if we want to move forward. Our flesh never desires what's good for us.

The answer that Gideon receives is simple:

"Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" (Judges 6: 14 NIV)

You have strength even if you don't realise it. You are more than enough! We need to stop seeing ourselves as weak or not 'strong enough'. In Christ you can go against the status quo. You can crush one million obstacles. Recognise WHO sent you - once you have confidence in who Jesus really is, you'll move with confidence. Go with what you have - go with that talent or gift, with the resources you already have, with the few people around you. You do not need more! Stop waiting for everyone around you to get with the program. 

Like many of us Gideon had a problem with self-image and confidence. He told God, "...how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family" (Judges 6: 15).  

You know what's amazing about God? He doesn't care about social status. He doesn't care about if you are 'high key', 'low key' or whether you're apart of the most popular clique. And what's more amazing is that, when we care about it and focus on it, God simply replies "I will be with you...".

Even when we are like Gideon, and rely on the physical to believe in him rather than live by faith, he doesn't give up on us. 

Judges 6: 17 -18 "...give me a sign that it's really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you." 

You see, Gideon had been so used to serving a god that didn't have substance, he struggled to see that God was real and believed in him.When we are blind to who He is, God simply says to us, like he said to Gideon all those years ago, "I will wait until you return."

How loving is our God? He always waits for us to return and when we do, He welcomes us with loving arms. He didn't only wait like he promised, but he gave Gideon the strength to not not only defeat the Midians, but also the courage to go against his father and serve the true and living God.

As Christians, and even as general people, we all have moments like Gideon; we live in fear and doubt ourselves but most of all we sometimes doubt God. 

However, I want you to know that God does not doubt you. He believes in you. You possess so many strengths that you are unaware of, and even the things you consider to be your weaknesses or faults, God has already turned around for His glory. You are a mighty warrior even if you consider yourself the lowest of the low. 

Courtney Carr xx