Dealing with loss

In this part of The Chosen, you see the disciples sitting around the fire. They share life stories. As friends, they share the fun times, but also the hard ones and soon you also notice that it becomes vulnerable. Different people in the group share about how they lost someone. A father, a mother. That hurts.

If I may ask a direct question: What have you lost? Do you also have "something like that" in your life that you are thinking about right now? Maybe it's a person but, of course, it could also be health, a relationship, or a dream falling apart. How do you deal with loss?

One phrase that stuck with me was, "I need to ask Jesus about that again" – when Thomas shares how he lost someone.

Going to Jesus, asking Him about our loss, sharing it with Him – that's a lesson we can at least take with us.

In John 11, we see Jesus visiting the tomb of a dead friend. It is about His friend Lazarus. When Jesus sees where Lazarus lies He begins to weep.

I like that. You don't see here a Jesus who has long known that Lazarus will rise from the dead. Not a Jesus who will perform a great miracle. No, you see a deeply touched Jesus, a Man who stands beside people, grieves. Involved. He does not step over suffering. He weeps.

In this way, Jesus also wants to be involved in your grief. He wants you to come to Him with your pain and questions. Just lay it down with Him. He knows how to deal with it, and He might just cry with you at first.

In the book of Hebrews you will find a wonderful description of Jesus as High Priest. A high priest made sacrifices on behalf of the people so that things could be set right between God and people. In Jesus we see the perfect High Priest, who through His work on the cross gives you and me the opportunity to have a relationship with God again. I already wrote it, "Jesus does not step over suffering." He suffered Himself so that He could offer us freedom.

And in Hebrews we read that we have a High Priest who can suffer with all our pain, distress, care, and sorrow. He has gone through it Himself and wants to be with you as you go through difficult times.

"I'll have to ask Jesus about that again."

Have you already done that?

Take the following questions to think about:

• What have you "lost"? What immediately comes to your mind?
• Where do you go with that loss?

Prayer: "Lord, thank You that You come close, even in sorrow or suffering. Thank You that You are familiar with that and also know my situation. Thank You that through suffering, Your work on the cross, You want to set me free and bring me into relationship with Yourself. Lord, help me - with everything that happens in my life - to seek You. Amen."