Introduction

Giving Thanks Even At A Time Of Death

Grieving and Finding Wholeness

I don't want to diminish the grief we feel today. I won't say that everything is alright, because it's not. We are hurting, and we know that this pain will linger for a while. Our grief is a dark valley that we must walk through before we can find healing. God created us to experience the pain of loss. When we lose a relationship, we feel the ache. We pay the price for having relationships, but we continue to pursue them because they are worth it. Those of you here today have lost a loved one, and it hurts.

I encourage you to grieve. Allow yourself to grieve deeply and honestly. Don't try to push it away or deny it. Grieve for what has been lost. Grieve with love and patience until you have emptied the cup of sorrow. There is no other way to find wholeness than by facing the realities of life.

Finding Thankfulness in Memories

However, I want to offer a word of comfort. In Philippians 4:6-7, we find these words: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Let me be honest with you; reading, teaching, and preaching the Scriptures is relatively easy. It's the application of those Scriptures that can be challenging. When death has shattered our family ties, applying these words is not so simple.

When Paul wrote to the Philippians from his prison cell, he told them not to worry about anything but to pray with thanksgiving. How can we possibly pray with thanksgiving today, in the face of our loved one's death?

We are hurting, and we are saddened. Yet, I believe there are things we can be thankful for even on a day like today.

First, we can be thankful for memories. God created us in His image, which means we have the ability to remember. Isn't that a wonderful thing? Even though we are grieving, we can still cherish the memories we have of our loved one. When we gather together and share stories and memories, it can be both bitter and sweet. We may find ourselves laughing and crying, and that's okay. It's all part of the grieving process. So let us be grateful for the gift of memories.

Gratitude for Relationships

Second, we can be thankful for relationships. God created two important institutions in this world that are built on relationships. The first is the family, which began in Genesis 2 when God said, "It is not good for man to be alone." We have always needed relationships; we have always needed one another. The second institution is the church, which is also based on relationships. When we have a relationship with Christ, our other relationships are affected. Christ becomes our Savior, God becomes our Father, and other believers become our brothers and sisters. We become part of a spiritual family. Relationships matter, and today we can be grateful for the relationships we had with our loved one.

The Promise of Eternal Life

Lastly, we can be thankful for eternal life in Christ. One of the most well-known Scriptures is John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." This verse speaks of the promise of eternal life through faith in Christ. Isn't that something to be thankful for? While we may not fully understand what heaven will be like, we can trust in God's promises. Just as a water beetle transforms into a beautiful dragonfly, we can trust that God will do something incredible for us in eternity.

I want to close with John 14:1-6: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

If we believe in Christ, we can find comfort in the promise of eternal life.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while we grieve and experience the pain of loss, we can still find things to be thankful for. We can be grateful for the memories we have of our loved one, cherishing them even in our grief. We can appreciate the relationships we had with our loved one and the impact they had on our lives. And most importantly, we can find comfort in the promise of eternal life through faith in Christ. Let us hold onto these things as we navigate through the dark valley of grief, trusting that God will bring healing and wholeness in His time.

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