Heartbreak, Heartache, and HeartHope

 The past four months have been a tough time for our church, more so than any other time I can remember.  Our people have experienced great loss and heartache during that stretch of time, which includes at least 6 of our own FBC people who have gone on to be with the Lord.  I find my own heart aching in a way I have never experienced.  Loss is never an easy thing, but so many in such a short period of time seems a bit overwhelming.  It is in these times that our go to question is "WHY?"  We know that God is sovereign and good, yet His purposes for allowing such heartbreaking things is beyond our wisdom and capacity to fully comprehend.  We are left to give it over to God in trust.  I was lamenting close to midnight last Sunday on my way home from the hospital knowing that it was only a matter of hours before one of our brothers in Christ would leave his earthly tent to occupy his heavenly dwelling.  I called Trish on my way home to let her know I was ok and to lament a bit.  She was lamenting as well and reminded me of a song that was going through her heart at the moment.  It has been going through mine as well.  It is a song entitled "Though You Slay Me" by Shane and Shane.  The song captures a posture of trust and worship in spite of the suffering God allows into our lives.  You can listen to it here.



The video features a clip from one of John Piper's sermons on 2 Cor. 4:16-18.  This passage is all about our perspective as a believer when it comes to suffering and loss.  

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
-2 Cor. 4:16-18

The Apostle Paul calls these afflictions light and momentary and then proceeds to tell us that they are actually preparing for us something... an eternal weight of glory.  This is exactly why we feel this tension between suffering loss and rejoicing in Christ as believers.  The loss, affliction, or suffering is only temporary.  In other words, there is hope in Christ!  There is a weight of glory that we will experience that far outweighs the loss and suffering we experience here on this broken earth.

So Paul encourages us to not lose heart by fixing our eyes on what we can't see instead of dwelling and becoming fixated on what we do see.  The truth is that one day followers of Jesus will join all those who have have gone before us in exaltation to "sing a song to the one who is all I need."  This heartache and heart-hope is so beautifully captured in another song by Bart Millard (Mercy Me) after he and those around him have suffered so much loss in such a short period of time.  He wrote the song "Homesick".  Please give this a listen and let the hope we have in Christ encourage your heart!



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