1 Thessalonians 4:13-14/ We Grieve Differently

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 "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep." 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

 Three days ago, the world lost a great man of God. Brent was too humble to call himself that, but everyone in his life would. As I write this there are literally hundreds and hundreds of families grieving his death; families that were blessed by his life in ministry. My family is one of those families. 

 But we are not grieving "as others do who have no hope," as Paul writes here. Why? Because "we believe Jesus died and rose again," and that "God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep." 

 Christians grieve differently knowing Christ defied death. We grieve differently knowing we too will defy death. So, when we lose loved ones we have only lost them for a short period in view of eternity. 

 Brent would want us to praise God for the hope we have in Christ as we grieve. He'd want us to share that hope with others. And he'd want us to celebrate that he's more alive now than he's ever been. 

"Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”John 11:25-26

 Do you believe this? If so, then you grieve differently.

 If you want to dig deeper into this, need help, need prayer, or have questions—please reach out to us here: Roots Help & Prayer Form.

 Hopefully, 
Pastor Kevin