How Do You ‘Get a Grip’ in the Face of Tragedy? You know the term and may have even used it.
Maybe you were about to throw in the towel on a dream and a friend challenged you, “Really Shelly? -Get a grip- Where’s your faith?”
Sometimes all we need is to just take a deep breath, look up, “get a grip” and move on.
But not always… certainly not in the face of tragedy.
What do you do when you lose a child or a spouse?
-I think of my sister-in-law whose four year old son was suddenly ripped from her life because of a drunken driver.
-Our friend Eric and his 6 children watched as the love of his life slowly died of cancer.
-A close friend Kim’s 19 year old daughter was lulled away by a slave driver named heroine.
We stood in hope and prayer. We walked with them as they fought for her life pressing on in the name of love; tough love, gentle love … all in faith-filled hope for her release from the clutches of darkness.
Sometimes you celebrate 2 steps forward, and then get yanked 3 steps back.
How do you “get a grip” when you get a call that “It’s over –she’s gone”?
I don’t think you know unless you go thru it.
Surely love and support of friends and family help carry these thru those numbing days. But one needs MORE as days as weeks move on.
It’s the place beyond where you just “Get a grip”. You need something some ONE bigger than any man -to hold you together.
I imagine this is the place where time stops, even seems to rewind. You will the clock to stay at pause just moments longer before you pass into another tomorrow –away from their voice, their touch, their breath.
Indeed, this is where your own life depends on getting in His GRIP.
It is only in the hands of the LIVING God; Jesus, can one gain hope and rise above the blow of death.
You can’t even “GET” there; you simply find He IS THERE. The place where one says, “Oh death where is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:55
In His care -where time doesn’t look backward or forward , it simply rests with full gaze on the One Who ties all times, all purpose, all cares to Him.
Where nothing else matters –but Him.
And because you see that it’s all for Him,
Suddenly. Painfully even -yet gloriously so,
you realize;
Everything does matter
–because all are created in hope to be redeemed; each at the proper time.
How do you say goodbye in the face of tragedy? How do you find peace?
Each must answer on their own.
And those of us standing near?
We may not know what to say, and that’s okay. Words may never reach the depths of certain loss, but being there and showing you care will matter more than doing nothing at all. Show you care with gentleness and compassion.
Stand with them, cry with em, sit silently when the crowds are gone and help pick up pieces.
Love them where they’re at. All the while keeping your own gaze on Jesus.
Below is a book my friend Eric Elder, a gifted writer, wrote after his wife Lana went to be with Jesus.
It may be helpful to someone you know whose recently lost a loved one.
No matter the circumstances, there is no better place then, in His grip!