Written by Vianne Satterfield
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ” All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”
Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”
John 14:16-17a “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.”
The Lord is teaching me about giving and receiving comfort, as I have attended multiple funerals of friends — most of the losses were sudden and unexpected. It has been a heartbreaking 10 months, as I have mourned with friends the loss of their spouse, an adult child, and a co-worker. My husband and I are mourning the loss of our cat, Chaz, who recently passed. Click on the link below to view a picture of me and my kitty who recently passed on. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ITo9mh4A_DMaQPNNW4krfTmHH_eC1enS/view?usp=sharing
It is heartbreaking, yet those who knew and trusted Jesus, they are with Jesus now — without pain, sorrow and discomfort. I can rejoice in the hope of eternal life, eternal love and eternal presence of my Lord. I believe God’s Word to be true. For it is written, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17)
It is comforting to have the hope of being reunited with loved ones — however, in the meantime, grieving can be messy and tiring as my mind catches up with the reality of the loss when triggers occur throughout the day. Indeed Jesus is close to the brokenhearted.
Sometimes I have reached for sugar or carbs to “help” the grief process — which for the record, does not really help other than to “feel good” for 30 seconds or so. But seeking comfort through food (if you can call Oreo cookies “food,”) is a common way we humans seek comfort, although it often is not fulfilling, nor is it long-lasting.
The Holy Spirit comforts me like only He can do — through connecting with Him in prayer one-on-one and with others. As I was seeking the Lord about Chaz’s healthcare, I experienced profound compassion from the Lord as I received from His Presence through an inner healing prayer session. As I placed my cat into the lap of the Lord, I sensed His care and compassion like never before. He cares about every detail of our lives — even concerning the 4-legged furry family members.
The Holy Spirit also brought me comfort when He orchestrated a visitation of three skittish stray cats in a parking lot where we had parked the truck. Seeing those cats run for cover under our truck and out under the nearby fence reminded me that He takes care of all of His creation. His unfailing love will see me through the sadness and grief of all the losses of this year and beyond.
Sharing favorite memories of a loved one brings comfort as well. One of the best ways of honoring a loved one is to remember their legacy and to share it with someone. Losses bring up memories of other loved ones who have passed and the cycle of honoring their memory continues to bring comfort. A favorite memory of my cat Chaz occurred when he would “get busy,” on his blanket. He commanded an audience of one (my husband) where Chaz would make “biscuits” by kneading with all four paws on the blanket. He did this activity nearly every day (sometimes multiple times a day) from the day we got him in our home until the day he passed — over 3,322 days of getting busy! Chaz brought us a lot of joy and he was a very happy cat until disease took away his quality of life. We loved him dearly and he will be missed and never forgotten. Eventually I will be able to open my home and heart to another kitty when the time is right.
When you experience grief and loss, I hope you experience comfort from the Holy Spirit, love and compassion from others, and from joyful memories of their life. May the season of mourning turn into joy and gladness once again as you experience His compassion and comfort.
Thank you for addressing what is somewhat difficult to talk about, The Loss of Someone We Love. My mind immediately went to our dear friend, Joan Gordon, and the sudden loss of her precious Louis. Our hope, as you stated, is in the helping power of The Holy Spirit. May God’s assuring Peace rest on us all during this Christmas Season.