Take His Hand

“So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.” – Ezekiel 24:18

In an article titled “Ministering During Personal Tragedy”, author Jess Rainer writes: “We were not prepared for the death of our son. About the only thing we could do was cry. In the months following Will’s death, we began to cope with our loss. We began to find our new normal as parents who lost a child. During those months, I learned three major lessons as a minister. I pray that I (or anyone else) will never have to apply these lessons again.

1. Minister to your family.

I was a new minister in a new church. There were people who needed to be ministered to throughout our community. More importantly, I had a family who needed me to minister to them. My 2-year-old son at the time wanted his daddy to hug him and play football with him. Rachel so desperately needed me to be a husband with a listening and compassionate ear. I wish I could tell you I was the perfect husband and dad during this time, but I wasn’t. If you find yourself in this position, minister to your family first.

2. Don’t hide your grief in your work.

I tend to be a workhorse. This trait is often perceived as a good quality, but during a time of personal tragedy, it’s not. I focused what little mental energy I had into my work. I did not allow myself to grieve. In my mind, I had to be strong for my family so that they could grieve. In order to eliminate my grief, I hid it in hours of work. It’s been nineteen months since Will passed away and I am grieving more now than when he passed away.

3. Seek God’s plan during tragedy.
God provided a peace that only He could provide during the immediate months following Will’s death. This peace was undeniable. We prayed for God’s comfort and He clearly provided it. Having this peace allowed us to seek out God’s plan during tragedy. While it is not completely clear, we understand God has enabled us to minister to others who are going through tragedy. God had and has a plan for Will’s death. Rachel and I will continue to seek it.”

The Lord leads us throughout our life, through the joy and sunlight and in the sorrows and darkness.

Give thanks to the Lord that He is our Rock. Take His hand as He walks you through eternity.

“How sweet the sound of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear. It soothes his sorrow, heals his wounds, and drives away his fears.” – John Newton

“Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.” – Ecclesiastes 7:3