God’s Light in the DarknessSample

Comfort in the darkness

Some parents experience the darkness of losing a child at a young age. How do they move on? As one who lost a sister who was hit by a drunk driver, I have taken comfort in Isaiah 57:1,2: “No one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.” The goal of parents is to see their children in heaven. God may have been sparing my sister from something that would have taken her away from the faith, and he wanted her to be safe in heaven with him. We cannot say for certain what God is doing in every instance. We simply need to trust him.

What we do know is this: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants” (Psalm 116:15). He cares about each of his children. What we do know is: “In all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28). He is in control, even of the bad things that happen.

How do the parents move on? They cry. They pray, knowing they have a Savior who hears and sympathizes with them. God knows what it is like to lose a child, too. They surround themselves with their Christian family who is there to wrap them up with love and help carry their burdens. They wait patiently for the Lord’s deliverance from this pain, knowing that a heavenly reunion awaits.