Loss & Grief - SE StudentsSample

Billy Graham, a famous preacher, and evangelist, once said this: “Can you see God? You haven't seen Him? I've never seen the wind. I see the effects of the wind, but I've never seen the wind. There's a mystery to it.” When we talk about hope, it is similar to this idea of not being able to see it. You can’t see the wind, but you can see the effects of it. You can’t see God, but you can see Him working and the evidence of His existence around you. You can’t see hope, but you can see the effects of someone who has hope, especially in a time of grief. There is a difference between those who grieve with hope and those who grieve without hope. 

Hope gives you an anchor—something to hold you down even when it feels like the waves are overtaking you. It might feel like sadness or depression or anger or frustration or a combination of all the emotions is tossing you around like waves in a storm, but when you have hope, it keeps your soul—the deepest place inside of your heart—grounded. Hope doesn’t let your emotions take you down. It’s OK to feel those emotions, but they are not your guide. 

If you have given your life to Jesus Christ, then you know that there is a place beyond this life waiting for you in heaven. While you are here on earth, you will feel the effects of pain and loss, but await the day when you will no longer experience pain or suffering. That is what you hope for. If you feel lost or without hope today, please reach out to a youth leader or pastor and find out how you can have hope in Jesus. If you do have hope in Jesus, hold onto it tightly even as the waves crash, because they will ease up. The anchor of hope will keep you steady.