Today's Scripture
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Thoughts for Today
As we approach the end of the grieving process after losing a loved one, hope begins to build within us. Hope represents an attempt to return to normal activities. Hope is energy that motivates us to let go of the hurts of past losses and move on to complete recovery. Hope involves both faith and confidence.

Consider this ...
Faith in the faithfulness of God is part of the hope we have in Christ. By faith we hold on to God's promises in the Bible. Be encouraged to spend time in the Bible meditating on these promises. Spend time talking to God, listening for his still small voice. As you put your trust in Him, He will help you rebuild the future and fill you with an ever-growing hope.

Confidence comes as you consistently expand your hope by exercising faith in God and His promises. As your confidence in him matures, you will have the strength to reach out confidently and do things you have not done since you were overcome by grief.

As you move through the process of grief and recovery, remember that you are never alone. Jesus is with you. He loves you and will comfort and strengthen you.

Prayer ...
Jesus, thank you for the hope I have in you. This time of grieving has been so difficult, but with you it has been possible. As you continue to comfort and strengthen me, may my hope build and my trust in you grow as I attempt to move ahead in my life.

These thoughts adapted from ...      

Handling Loss and Grief. People going through this group will be able to identify what the Bible has to say about handling the losses of life. It offers biblical coping methods for facing loss and comfort to those who have faced loss. This guide also provides help for anyone ministering to those experiencing a "little death" in life: divorce, loss of job, etc.  

 

PO Box 22127 ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 ~ 423-899-4770
© Living Free 2007. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending e-mail to info@LivingFree.org.