Easter Can Bring Comfort to the Grieving 

I know several people who are grieving the recent loss of loved ones. I see their social media posts in which they express how much they miss those who are no longer present in this life. However, it is not just those who have dealt with such experiences over the past weeks and months who are affected by grief. We may still be facing the void left in our lives from someone who passed away years ago. In spite of the passage of time, there are moments when the wound feels fresh and the sorrow wells up in our hearts, maybe even bursting forth in tears streaming down our cheeks. Time doesn’t heal all wounds. Sometimes we just learn to live with them.

The truths related to Easter can help bring comfort to grieving souls. In one of Jesus’ most familiar statements, He declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). It is helpful to remember the circumstance in which Jesus made this proclamation. It wasn’t at an Easter sunrise service. He wasn’t declaring this to an excited crowd who had gathered to hear some words of inspiration. No, Jesus spoke these words to someone grieving the death of her brother.

 The concepts expressed in Jesus’ statement are wonderful to consider: resurrection, not dying, life after death, eternal life. Shortly after making this declaration, Jesus would support those words through His actions – raising Lazarus from the dead. The grief of his family would disappear. Their loved one would be alive and present with them again…for now. Actually, this was only a reprieve. Death would visit Lazarus again at some point down the road. And this time there would no miracle of being brought back to life. What happened to Lazarus was impressive, but it didn’t really change anything in the long run.

However, what we celebrate at Easter changed everything. Jesus’ resurrection was different. He didn’t come back in the same old physical body. He was raised with a glorious, spiritual body. He didn’t revive from the dead only to die again. He arose to live forever. He didn’t just postpone death’s victory over him. He defeated death and the grave. He showed that they had no power over Him, but rather that He was the conquering King. Jesus’ resurrection not only proved who He was and gave meaning to His sacrificial death, but it also gave hope to us concerning the issues of life and death. Because Jesus was resurrected, we can be assured of our own resurrection. If we put our trust in Him as our Savior, we can know that although we will die, we will still live. There is life after death, and a wonderful life for those who love and know the Lord. And we can take comfort in the fact that if our loved ones believed in Jesus, they are still living and we can see them again someday.

 Grief is understandable. Jesus Himself grieved. Shortly after making those declarations to Lazarus’ sister, the Bible records that Jesus wept. We can grieve too. However, we don’t grieve as those who have no hope. And Easter gives us hope. We know there is life after the grave. We know that through Jesus there is victory over death. We know that we and our loved ones can live forever with the Lord.

We may still grieve and miss those who are no longer here with us. However, let’s find comfort today in the fact that Jesus lives, our loved ones who trusted in Him live with Him, and we can go be with them one day.