Gladness for Mourning: Hope in the Midst of LossSample

DAY 1: A Season of Loss

Navigating through life in the wake of a global pandemic and economic fallout, there’s one experience that has rocked every one of us in one way or another: Loss. 

You don’t have to play the game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” to find someone you’re connected to who’s been impacted by COVID-19. It’s become very personal.

We all know someone who has been impacted by the loss of a friend or family member. It might be you, struggling to move forward without the person you love.

Many have lost income or jobs; things we’ve relied on for financial security have become unstable and we don’t feel as secure about the future as we used to. 

Remember when we were unmasked, could hug our loved ones and were able to travel freely? All of us have lost a way of life that we’re not sure we’ll ever fully get back. Even the little things, like going to a movie, jumping in the community pool or attending a party, just don’t work the same.

And those of us who are Christ followers have lost fellowship, wondering how and when—or maybe if—we can gather together to break bread and worship the way we used to.

What have you lost that’s breaking your heart?

In Isaiah 61, a prophecy of the Messiah, Jesus promises to bring restoration to all of life’s injustices. Verse three highlights His ability to regenerate you in situations that involve loss: mourning a life, the destruction of something loved, the feeling of being defeated. 

When you understand Christ’s power to redeem, you’re given an amazing gift that can help you keep sailing even in the roughest of waters.

Hope.

Over the next four days, we’ll explore how Christ brings hope even in the midst of loss.